Defying Gravity
by OKIN Writers
Summary: You might belong in Hufflepuff, where they are just a loyal. Those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid of toil. Or, perhaps, in Slytherin, you'll make your real friends. Those cunning folk use any means to achieve their ends. She was the ice queen of Slytherin. He was the jester of Hufflepuff. For three years, they didn't know the other existed until one day, they clashed.
1. Prologue

_**Greetings fellow Harry Potter friends and welcome to the prologue of the greatest co-written fanfic you'll ever encounter. (We may or may not be hyperbolizing) If you want to know more about the two people writing this story check out the Bio. We have this story on Wattpad too, so don't freak if you happen to see it there. We aren't plagiarizing!**_

 **Disclaimer: We do not, and never will own the rights to any familiar characters or original Harry Potter world ideas. They belong respectively to the original author, J.K. Rowling.**

 **30 May 2009**

 **Exmoor, England**

 **Rosier Manor**

"Circe! Circe, come here girl!"

Upon her grandmother's demand, petite, dull-eyed Circe came circling around the corner, careful to avoid the tattletale eyes of Hispy, a crotchety female house elf she'd long given up trying to befriend. Circe had practically run from the second floor to the sitting room, and the last thing she wanted was to be disciplined for the unladylike behavior. The thought of it induced an equally unladylike eye roll.

"Yes, grandmother?"

There was a letter, about an inch thick and beige in color, clutched between her weathered fingers. Circe knew exactly what the contents of the letter entailed, and suppressed the childlike urge to squeal. Ever since her brother graduated a year ago, she'd wanted nothing more than to follow after him to Hogwarts. The letter had come, and the young girl allowed herself a wide, bright-eyed smile.

 **30 May 2009**

 **Birr Ireland**

 **The Riverwalk**

"Wynn! Could you come inside, dear!"

Jumping up quickly, the russet-haired boy ran inside while brushing the dirt off his hands, happily leaving his little siblings to finish de-gnoming the garden.

"Yes, Mum?" he asked sweetly as he came inside, kicking his shoes off at the door so he didn't track mud into their home. Past experience had taught him that his mother did not approve of dirty footprints all over her clean floors.

"A letter came for you in the mail," a tall ginger man said, grinning at his son as he passed him a thick, off-white envelope. "You're mother said it's from that magic school she attended as a girl. Almost makes me wish I were a wizard too!"

Wynn pulled out a chair at the table placing the thick letter down in front of himself, a wide grin spreading across his face. Smiling, the golden haired woman standing by the sink walked over, wiping her hands on her apron before placing a kiss on top of the beaming boy's head.

"I hope I end up in Hufflepuff, just like you, Mum," he chirped happily as he began to delicately open the letter, making sure not to tear the delicate parchment.

 **1 September 2009**

 **Highlands of Scotland**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

"Rosier, Circe!"

With heart thumping hard against her ribcage, she thought for sure it would give out before she reached the chair with the tattered hat that talked. The hall was filled with elated students, eager to see who would soon be another member of their house. She could here student's making bets based on appearances and surnames. Briefly, Circe wondered what they thought of her.

The stool stood upon the stage like a foreboding beacon, daunting and inviting, like a strange contradiction. It took every ounce of strength she had to keep her legs from shaking as she mounted the steps. With shoulders thrown back and head held high, Circe tried to look every bit what a Rosier should, and when the hat was placed upon her head, covering her to the eyes, the only option she had was Slytherin, lest she face the same wrath her brother had when sorted into Ravenclaw.

"Cunning little thing are you?" Said a voice in her mind.

"Ambitious too, and your loyalty to your family name is nothing to sneeze at."

"There is kindness in your heart, though buried deep, and I sense a great deal of intelligence in you. Though there is only one house suited for a bright witch like you, yes…"

"I'm sure it'll have to be-

"SLYTHERIN!"

Again, Circe allowed herself a small smile and her shoulders, once a struggle to keep up, were now weightless with pride.

 **1 September 2009**

 **Highlands of Scotland**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

"SLYTHERIN!" The hat cried out, causing a small smile to rush onto the face of the girl seated on the sorting stool. Wynn watched as she strutted over to the table, a proud look on her face as she sat down beside the two other first years who had been sorted before her.

"Sudrach, Wynnston!" His heart jumped in his chest as his name was called. Plastering a brave look on his face, the little russet-haired boy stepped up to the stool and gingerly sat upon it. He exhaled deeply as the hat settled upon his head, feeling a sudden sense of calm settle over him. "Mmm, part of the Collins line, eh? Marie Collins was one of the most pure-hearted students I've ever sorted, but it seems her son has surpassed even her good will. I know the perfect place to place you then. You'll do well at developing your compassion and loyalty there. I'm going to put you in-"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

A happy grin crossed the boy's face and with a skip in his step, he made his way over to the table bathed in cheering students wearing yellow and black. With a content sigh, he sat down next to the other first year who'd been sorted some time before him, flashing a cheerful smile.

"Hi, I'm Wynn Sudrach," he said, holding his hand out to the other boy.

"Teddy Lupin," the brown haired boy grinned. "You're hair's great, by the way. Mind if I borrow it?" To Wynn's complete shock, a russet color began to bleed into Teddy's locks until the shade matched his from root to tip.

"That's bloody amazing!" Wynn gaped while Teddy grinned proudly.

"It's something I got from my mum," he announced proudly before changing it again to a bright green.

With a grin and sparkle of happiness in his soft blue eyes, Wynn asked Teddy Lupin a very important question: "So, are you a quidditch fan?"


	2. Chapter 1: Circe

_**If you liked the prologue, then you'll love what we have in store for you. Keep an open mind and your undergarments set straight because frustration is sure to ensue. Worry not! For all things work out for the better, even if they seem impossible at first. We look forward to sharing with you, so, in turn, share your thoughts with us!**_

 **Disclaimer: We do not, and never will own the rights to any familiar characters or original Harry Potter world ideas. They belong respectively to the original author, J.K. Rowling.**

 **2 September 2011**

 **Highlands of Scotland**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

"Rosier!"

The unpleasant screeching of my surname sent waves of apprehension through me. Eris flicked her tail in irritation as my dark haired acquaintance sauntered to the table. My relationship with Liera Goyle was one of convenience. I wouldn't have dared ventured near the scrawny, blue eyed Niffler had it not been at the insistence of my grandmother. As intolerable as the girl is, her surname held power to which we must remain on fair terms with.

"You left me! I had to walk to breakfast completely alone. Do you know how anti-social that makes me look? Reputation on the line here!" She continued to squeal, hands flapping in exasperation.

The force it took to not roll my eyes at her was draining, and if my day was starting off this way, I dreaded what was in store for me later. "I apologize Goyle, next time I'll just hunt down our class schedule," I defended, handing over her timetable.

She had the decency to look ashamed, "Oh."

It was as close to admitting she was wrong as she would get, so I hummed my acknowledgment. The Goyle family was our stepping stone to the Malfoy Christmas ball, and we had gone the last three years thanks to my brownnosing. Lowering myself down like a dog was not something that came easily, but I'd do it if it meant making grandmother proud of me.

"We have Herbology with Hufflepuff this year! Maybe I can finally get close to Teddy Lupin. I've had my eye on him for quite some time now."

Hiding my snort was easier said than done.

Liera eyed me skeptically, "What? Do you think this is funny."

"Immensely," I drawled. "Considering Lupin's been chasing the tail of some first year Gryffindor."

A pale fist came crashing down on the table, "Weasley! That Veela? She has nothing on me. By Merlin, I swear to you that by Christmas break that blue haired god will be mine!"

"Whatever," I shrugged before getting up and making my way towards double Arithmancy with Ravenclaw, thankful that my first class wasn't tainted with her.

Herbology was after lunch, and regardless of it being the first day back, the workload was heavy. I could only hope Professor Longbottom's big heart was feeling more than averagely large. With three lengthy essays and a few charms to memorize, it didn't look as if I was getting much sleep tonight.

The sea of black robes and green and yellow ties all blurred together as Liera tugged me along through the greenhouse. The smell of soil and various plants was comforting, but her nonstop talking was ruining it for me. "We have to find a seat near Teddy. I heard he hadn't asked anyone to Hogsmeade. I can't believe we get to go this year. Two years of waiting to travel outside the school, and it's finally here. We'll start getting invited to parties this year too. Think about it. Third year is our year! Oh, look! there is a seat open on one side of Teddy."

With that she took off, leaving me to follow after her at a much more controlled pace. The only other seat open was between a Slytherin girl named Keris and a nameless Hufflepuff boy with hair the exact color of fire. Teddy sat on the other side of him, looking thoroughly annoyed with Liera's attention. I felt something akin to sympathy for the blue haired boy, but my relief at being rid of her quickly overshadowed it.

I tucked my bag neatly beneath my seat before sitting down, careful to avoid bumping any part of me into any part of either person. With back straight, I silently observed the class as we waited for our Professor to arrive. Eris, who followed me just about everywhere, took up residence just behind my feet, her tail curling comfortingly around my ankles.

"I give it another minute and a half before Teddy loses his Hufflepuff kindness and tells your friend to take a hike." A lilting, brogue voice gambled lowly.

I turned ever so slightly to the red head, "Good, maybe it will teach her some self-restraint."

A flash of straight white teeth appeared from behind his defined cupid's bow, "I thought that was a common problem among third year girls."

"I can hardly vouch for the girls you've been hanging around with, but that is certainly not a common problem," I muttered darkly.

Surprise flashed across his eyes, and his smile twisted into an awkward grimace, "Well, I uh-"

I turned from him, finished with the conversation, but he wasn't. "My name is Wynn Sudrach."

I searched my head endlessly for something familiar in that name. Could I use his friendship to my advantage? No, the name was foreign to me, and foreign coincided with irrelevant. I answered him the only way I knew how "Sudrach isn't familiar to me. I assume one of your parents is a muggle? Figures, only filthy half-bloods end up in Hufflepuff."

I knew it was harsh. I was completely aware of the hurt I was causing, and it was the reason I couldn't look him in the eyes when I said it. The coward in me couldn't watch his blue eyes shatter, but the dark side of me, the one that was slowly gaining control, couldn't help but hurt the people around me. I was destined to be my parents. There was no point in trying to fight it now.


	3. Chapter 2: Wynn

**Disclaimer: We do not, and never will own the rights to any familiar characters or original Harry Potter world ideas. They belong respectively to the original author, J.K. Rowling.**

 **2 September 2011**

 **Highlands of Scotland**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

I felt my lips tugging down in an uncharacteristic frown as furrows appeared between my eyebrows. Who peed in her pumpkin pasties? "Ooh, harsh. Do you kiss your mum with that mouth?" I teased, a quirky smile tugging at the corner of my lips.

The glare she shot me shot ice all the way to my soul. "I've never met my mother," she bit out angrily before turning forwards again. Biting my lip, I gazed at her, trying to figure the girl out. I'd never met such a prickly individual, especially in our age group. Sure, she was a Slytherin, but she seemed extremely bitter, even more so than pitch black coffee.

I turned to face the front, stroking my pet snake Ryuu absently as I tried to think of what to do. After about a minute or two, I finally turned to face her. "Hey, I'm sorry about earlier. How about we start over. I'm Wynn Sudrach, 3rd year Hufflepuff and the proud son of a witch and a muggle. And this handsome fellow is Ryuu, my Mexican Black Kingsnake." I said, holding up my wrist which the small black snake had curled around. "And you are?" I asked, sticking my snake-free hand out in greeting as a cock-eyed grin slid across my mouth.

The delicate brunette let out a frustrated sigh before turning to me. "Circe Rosier, Pureblood, 3rd year Slytherin. This is Eris," she said, stroking the small, black cat on her lap. My smile grew as she placed her small hand in mine, my warm hands contrasting the coolness of her grip.

"Lovely to meet you Circe! I'm so glad you decided to be my Herbology partner today!"

"Oi, I thought I was your partner!" my best friend, Teddy, protested next to me, obviously trying to get out of being stuck with Circe's handsy friend. I cringed in sympathy as the Slytherin threaded her fingers through Teddy's now brown hair. She must have commented on his current favorite shade, white, prompting him to try and hide it from the crazy girl. In all honesty though, I think it made her even more attracted to him and his "party tricks" as she was currently calling his metamorphogus skills.

"Sorry, Lupin, but I'm making friends, just like you are!" I winked cheekily at him before turning back to Circe, smirking as Teddy eyed me enviously. In all honesty, I might have been willing to trade him. I'd take overly touchy feely to stone cold any day of the week. Something was intriguing about Circe though, and I fully intended to find out why she was so angry.

I turned to speak with her again, but Professor Longbottom quickly chastised me for interrupting just as he was about to start today's lecture. I cheerfully apologized before whipping out my quill and furiously scribbling notes down on my parchment. Circe sat beside me gracefully, back perfectly straight, cursive handwriting spilling daintily over her paper. Watching her out of the corner of my eye, I realized she was almost too perfect, like a little ornamental doll poised perfectly on a stand. A twinge of pain went through my heart and I decided right then that I would make this frozen girl laugh, even if it took all the way until my seventh year.

After the lecture, which I was all too willing to fill with entertaining comments in an attempt to pull a smile to Circe's lips (I failed), we were given five minutes of free time to study or talk quietly before class ended. When we were finally dismissed, I tried to catch Circe before she and her friend Liera left the room, but my plan was foiled when Professor Longbottom called me up to the front and asked to speak with me. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as I walked up to his desk.

"You wanted to see me, Professor?"

"Yes, Wynn, I wanted to speak with you about your behavior in class today. I know you're very skilled in Herbology, one of the best in the class actually as is Ms. Rosier, but the comments you were making to her were very distracting to both her and the other students, I'm afraid. I know you didn't mean any harm, but in the future, please keep the flirtations _outside_ of class."

"Professor, I wasn't flirting with Circe. I just wanted to see if I could make her smile. She so stiff, like a doll," I explained, hoping he'd understand my actions.

"Regardless of your intentions, I would ask that you please refrain from disrupting class in the future. You can use your break periods to try and entertain Ms. Rosier. I'll let you off with a warning this time, but in the future, I expect class time to be used for learning."

"Yes, Professor Longbottom," I said seriously. I was dismissed after that and quickly hurried off to transfiguration, hoping I wasn't late. When I got there, I frowned when I saw Circe seated in her normal spot with Liera Goyle by her side. I sank into my seat next to Teddy, briefly explaining why I was later than usual before I turned my attention to the front. My mind wasn't focused on transfiguration, however. Instead, it ran wild with plans of how to bring a smile to stone cold face of Ms. Circe Rosier.


	4. Chapter 3: Circe

_**We got a review, and for that we can't let such generosity pass without properly acknowledging the kind soul. Thank you,**_ _magerrange637_ _ **, from the outer reaches of the Milky Way and back, thank you! Thank you as well to all of those who have followed and favorited our story. The fact that you all look forward to reading our story keeps us inspired to write.**_

 **Disclaimer: We do not, and never will own the rights to any familiar characters or original Harry Potter world ideas. They belong respectively to the original author, J.K. Rowling.**

 **4 September 2011**

 **Highlands of Scotland**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

The nerve of that half-blood.

He had made a permanent residence beside me in two of the three classes Slytherin had with Hufflepuff: Herbology and Potions. Luckily, he sat with Teddy Lupin during Transfiguration, which was unarguably my favorite class. The red headed boy didn't have a serious bone in his body. Everything was a joke, and he smiled constantly. It was a big, lopsided smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes and made dimples appear on his cheeks. He talked to me constantly, distracting me with random questions, picking on me.

Wynn Sudrach was quickly becoming a thorn in my side.

"Circe, hey did you find that book you needed for your foot essay in Arithmancy, Matt needs it?"

Stupefy me. By Merlin just take me out now. It was Lennox MacKendrick, fourth year, seeker for Slytherin, and my not so secret admirer. I blame my grandmother. If she has her way MacKendrick and his affluent family will be attached to her through me by graduation.

Threading one hand through Eris's fur for comfort, I didn't bother looking up from my Herbology homework as I surrendered the book to him.

"Uh thanks," he obliged, lingering. I begged he would go away. "Look can I ask you something?"

How I loathed people who didn't get to the point. _Grandmother will be very upset if you don't entertain him. You know what happens when Grandmother gets upset._ I took a deep breath before rising to face him, causing Eris to growl lowly at being suddenly displaced, "Yes, Lennox?"

He cast a wary glance at the black cat before smoothing a smile on his face that was obnoxiously perfect. Teeth too white, smile too straight, skin too smooth. I made sure my return smile was convincingly blinding. "Do you have any plans this weekend?"

"No, why?" I asked sweetly.

"I-I was wondering if you would come to Hogsmeade with me. It's your first time, and I know all the good spots. It'll be fun."

Merlin's beard I was in a tough spot. I had a million excuses, all of them worthy enough to be non-offending and believable, but my grandmother was sure to get word of it. Saying yes would please her, but it would also mean giving Lennox more reason to believe there could be something between us. Would my life ever be my own? I knew that answer to that.

"Of course." It would always belong to someone else.

All of his nervousness was gone, and his smile became a bit cockier, "Great. I'll meet you after breakfast."

He didn't even give me time to agree before walking off to join his friends in front of the fireplace. The green flames reflected off his black hair and cast odd shadows across his face, it was strange how something so inanimate and abstract could fill me with a sense of dread.

"You're going to Hogsmeade with Lennox MacKendrick and you didn't tell me immediately!"Liera screeched when she'd come to the dorm that night. All of our other roommates were still in the commons, giving us some privacy. As much as I couldn't stand Liera and her gossip fetish, I couldn't stand rumors more. At least I know if I ask Liera to keep quiet about something she will. The others? I'm not sure they even knew the definition of the word secret.

"I didn't think it was that important."

"It is so important!" She threw up her hands, dark hair flying wildly, "You're grandmother never shuts up about his family, and for a good reason. You two would be the ultimate power couple in the school and in the wizarding world."

It was always the same I observed, money, fame, credibility. No one in my world wanted anything more than that. Sometimes I wish I could just fall into it the way everyone else did. I wanted to get swept up in all of the pseudo extravagance and relationships. It would be easier.

I smiled at her, the effort it took draining me. "I'm going to turn in early."

"Ugh, buzz kill. Whatever, I'm headed back down. Jimmy Collins broke up with his girlfriend, and I bet he's looking for some company."

"Weren't you just flirting with Teddy Lupin in Potions?" Liera was confusing, and Slytherin's typical party girl.

"Lupin is playing hard to get, which is fun, but unfortunately I need something to keep me occupied in the long run. Collins has beautiful eyes. Oh, don't give me that look. I'm not a slut. Snogging is hardly shagging. Not all of us are such prudes."

She left the room with a huff after that, and I collapsed unceremoniously onto the bed, asleep before my head hit the pillow.


	5. Chapter 4: Wynn

_**Thank you to all who reviewed! We can't even begin to express our gratitude, so as a surprise (and a thank you), here is the next chapter. Please don't get too comfortable with all of these quick updates. We are establishing a schedule after this one. Updates will be every Saturday, as we are both in school and our priorities often do not include making sure we spoil you all (even if we wish it could be one because in spoiling you all, you in turn spoil us with all your wonderful words).**_

 **Disclaimer: We do not, and never will own the rights to any familiar characters or original Harry Potter world ideas. They belong respectively to the original author, J.K. Rowling.**

 **6 September 2011**

 **Highlands of Scotland**

 **Hogsmeade Village**

"Come on, Teddy!" I cheered to my best friend and I hopped out of the carriage before it had even stopped, excited for my first visit to Hogsmeade. Teddy climbed out much slower than I did, casting a sad glance back at the castle. "Come on, Ted, Victorie will be fine. I know you've got a crush on her, but that doesn't mean you need to spend every waking minute with her. She'll get to come with us next year. Besides," I teased, "Isn't it weird that you're crushing on her. I mean, she's basically your sister, right?"

Teddy rolled his eyes before whacking my arm as he caught up to me. "If anything, she'd be my cousin."

"There's nothing cousinly about that relationship, lover boy," I joked, laughing good naturedly as I stumbled to the side from the force of Teddy's playful shove.

Teddy and I joked together as we walked farther into the village, him giving me a good ribbing about the latest girl I'd had a crush on.

"But enough about Lyla, we should really be talking about your newest love interest. Why, I wouldn't be surprised if you were snogging her before fourth year!"

"What are you on about, Ted?" I asked with a chuckle as we sank down into a booth at the Three Broomsticks, our butterbeers clutched tightly in our hands.

"Circe Rosier," he said smugly, causing me to choke on the butterbeer I had just sipped.

"Rosier? Nah, there's nothing going on. She's just a tough egg that I want to crack. Seriously, I sometimes wonder if that girl even knows how to smile!"

"Sure, sure. I bet you that by sixth year, the two of you will be the most controversial couple at Hogwarts."

"Whatever, Lupin," I said as I rolled my eyes. "So how much are we betting?"

"5 galleons," he said, a cocky smirk on his face.

"I look forward to collecting in 3 years," I said with an equally sure expression.

We chatted for a bit before Teddy's eyes widened as he gazed over my shoulder. Looking at him in confusion, I turned and saw what his eyes were focused on. Circe had just walked in, her face blank as usual as Slytherin's golden boy, Lennox MacKendrick trailed after her like a trained puppy. I swear her eye was starting to twitch as he hovered around her before leaving her at a table as he headed towards the counter to fetch butterbeer.

I shot Teddy a mischievous look before draining the rest of my butterbeer, slamming the mug on the table, and standing up to make my way over to her booth. I heard Teddy scrambling after me, muttering softly under his breath about how much of an idiot I was.

"Hey, Frostbite," I said with a smirk as I leaned on the back of the bench across from her. She rolled her gray eyes.

"What do you want, _Sunshine_."

"Ooh, nicknames. You two are going to be the cutest couple," Teddy teased from my side.

"Shut it, Kaleidoscope," I said while Circe looked away, her nose raised in the air loftily. "If you're not careful, your nose will get stuck like that," I quipped before grabbing her hand and dragging her out of the pub before she could let out a squeak of protest.

"Let go of me!" She said, slapping my arm roughly as soon as we were outside. "What in Merlin's name do you think you're doing!"

"You looked like your brain was about to explode from boredom with only that Slytherin prat as company. Teddy and I are much more fun than he could ever be, so we decided to rescue you!"

"Wynn decided, I had nothing to do with it. I honestly don't even want to be here when your boy toy finds out we stole his girl."

"I am not _his girl_ ," Circe said frostily. "Lennox and I were simply getting to know each other better, not that it's any of _your_ business."

"Well, you can get to know us better instead," I said with a grin before latching onto her wrist again and dragging her towards Honeydukes. She followed, dragging her feet and standing ramrod straight, making it very clear that she wanted nothing to do with me. That had never deterred me from making friends in the past though, and I wasn't going to let it stop me now.

It took a while but eventually her posture relaxed enough that she no longer looked like she had stuck a fork in an electric socket. She still wasn't letting on that she enjoyed our company, but after a while when I released her wrist, she still stuck with us, so she apparently didn't find us completely deplorable.

After about two hours, we were headed out towards the Shrieking Shack, Teddy and I laughing our heads off at a joke I'd just told. I looked over at Circe when we'd calmed down to find one of her perfectly groomed eyebrows arching upwards as she looked at me.

"Well would you look at that. We got some slight expression from the snow queen. Somebody notify the Daily Prophet! The woman finally realizes I'm funny!"

"I never said you weren't," she said haughtily before turning forwards again, her footsteps faltering moments later. The proud grin on my face quickly slid off as I saw what had caused her to stumble. Lennox MacKendrick was striding towards us, an angry expression on his face as two of his large friends trailed behind him.

"You know, he looked a lot smaller from farther away," I told Teddy as I leaned closer to him. He nodded in agreement, looking a shade paler than usual, before we turned back to face the music.

"Why the bloody hell did you two lowborn badgers steal my girl?" He asked angrily as soon as he was within earshot.

"Well, Circe here looked bored out of her mind with you, poor girl, so Teds and I decided to entertain her a bit. You obviously weren't doing a good job of it, after all."

"Why you stinking little-"

"That gave you no right to grab me and pull me into your little schemes," a cool voice said from beside me as Circe stepped forward, placing a hand on MacKendrick's chest as he started towards me. "I was with a fellow Slytherin and it's sad that you would think I'd rather spend my time around a few wimpy Hufflepuffs. I suffered through your ideas of entertainment all afternoon and I never want to do anything of the like ever again. It was a waste of my time. Now, come along, Lennox. No use wasting our breath." She grabbed his coat and flounced away, disappearing back inside the Three Broomsticks with MacKendrick and his posse before Teddy and I could even pick our jaws up off the pavement.

We stood in silence for a few moments before Teddy exhaled deeply. "Well, that went well. I've gotta say, Wynn, your future wife sure has a mouth on her. Good luck to ya, mate," he said as he clapped heartily on the shoulder before walking away.

"Hey, Teddy, what did I tell you! I'm never gonna date her! Oi, Lupin! Get back here!"


	6. Chapter 5: Circe

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 **Disclaimer: We do not, and never will own the rights to any familiar characters or original Harry Potter world ideas. They belong respectively to the original author, J.K. Rowling.**

 _I'm sorry. I had to._  
Two sentences on loop inside my head as I pulled MacKendrick away from the two Hufflepuffs with a death wish. I couldn't understand why Sudrach wouldn't leave me alone. Why didn't he go away? Did he not understand that we couldn't be friends?  
Maybe it was time to be frank with him. As if being rude, blunt, and down right nasty wasn't frank enough. He was a half-blood for Merlin's sake! Grandmother would be livid if she knew I was keeping around his kind.  
More importantly, I had no desire to know what could become of him if she found out.  
"-have any idea who they think they are? Did you go with them willingly? No, no that's completely mad..." MacKendrick was rambling all the way back to the castle, and I'd had enough of it.  
I stopped abruptly, digging my heels into the ground to keep him from pulling me any further. "Merlin, Circe what-"  
I twisted his wrist painfully, a simple trick that brought him to his knees. Eris weaved herself in between my ankles, purring in enjoyment of his pain. As much as grandmother held interest in his family, the MacKendrick's had just as much interest in mine. If he wanted access to my family then he'd have to play by my rules. I dropped my voice to a dangerous pitch, leaning closely to his face. "Listen here, and listen closely, Lennox MacKendrick, because I will only say this once. You will not control me. Do not drag me around, do not dictate where I go or who I spend my time with, and do not raise your voice at me under any circumstances. Do not kiss me or touch me without permission. In return you may refer to me and our relationship as whatever you wish for appearance's sake. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"  
His brown eyes glinted with a hint of anger, and I was determined to squash it.  
I brought my wand to his throat, "Need I remind you of who my parents are? Of what I'm capable of?"

He could tattle, but I knew he'd be a good boy and keep his mouth shut. After all, it was his word over mine, and even if my parents had I record, mine was spotless. Lennox, on the other hand, wasn't as black and white as he appeared.  
I released his arm, bent to retrieve my hissing familiar, and stalked to the castle. One thorn had been removed, now it was time to face the other one. Wynn Sudrach needed to know the truth. Whatever pity, redemption game he was playing at wouldn't work. I was destined for damnation, and the quicker he realized it the better.

I was an idiot, but this was the only way I could get him alone.

Eris and I left dinner early to hide in a deserted corridor near the entrance to the Hufflepuff Commons. If I knew anything about Wynn, he'd be with a group of people and pulling him aside should be easy enough when they're all laughing and falling over each other. I remained deep within the darkness until I heard his familiar, carefree laugh echo along the stone walls. Creeping closer to the main hallway's firelight, I waited until Sudrach and his group were a few feet past the corridor before making my move.

" _Mobilicorpus._ "

He didn't even have time to cry out before I wrenched my wand backward and his body came rushing in my direction.

" _Impedimenta._ "

His body came to a sudden halt, and I proceeded to drag him fully into the corridor.

"H-how?"

"I don't have the time or the care to explain myself to you," I rushed out to his stunned expression.

"But those are-"

"Fifth year spells, I'm well aware. Listen to me, or we'll both miss curfew."

The stunned look was replaced by a grin, "Decide Slytherin's Dark Prince wasn't good enough for you, Frostbite?"

His goofy grin hid a lot of things, but I was starting to realize his blue eyes were gateways to his mind. He was hurt, which made this plan of mine easier and harder. The juxtaposition of it all was making me second guess myself. Eris, sensing my unease, rubbed herself against my ankles hissing in his direction.

 _It's for his own good._

"No, as a matter of fact your actions today made me realize how _beneficial_ Lennox could be. He's really a complete duffer, but his family is rather influential. He's also blindly loyal, like a dog. He'll be fun to keep around."

I watched the emotion in Sudrach's eyes change to something I couldn't identify. Disgust?

"You on the other hand are something akin to a fly. No matter how many times I swat at you, you never seem to get the hint. You're existence is meaningless to me. I come from a pureblood line of witches and wizards who have achieved things your silly, half-blood mind could only dream about. I don't have a heart for you to root yourself in, Wynn Sudrach. Quit looking for something that isn't there."

I expected retaliation. I even hoped for it. The part of me that fought the words he needed to hear wanted him to deny my accusations, tell me I was wrong, that there was a heart within the cavity of my bones.

He didn't do any of the things I'd hoped for. Instead he cast his eyes downward and walked away from me, carrying with him the remnants of my hope.

"Sit with me during Herbology."

Liera gave me a sidelong glance at the demand, "Why?"

"I'm not getting any work done with that half blood talking my ear off. I can't afford to fall behind in any of my classes."

"I think you like him," she whispered lowly.

I could feel my eyes nearly bulging out of my head, but I quickly composed myself, "Don't be absurd."

Liera giggled, "It's only the truth. I've never seen you show so much... _personality_ around anyone else, and we've been friends for years."

I chose to ignore her accusations, sending her a scathing look instead.

"Oh, don't be so sour. You know Herbology is the only time I get to spend with Teddy. You'll be fine."

It was funny how oblivious Liera could be to the discomfort of Teddy Lupin whenever they were in reaching distance of one another. I'd never seen someone pale as quickly as Lupin did whenever he caught sight of her. Sighing as she walked away, I looked down at my cat just in time to watch her trip over a stone. Eris' usually clumsiness almost made me laugh, and I drew upon her familiarity to calm my increasingly rapid breathing. It wasn't likely Sudrach would talk to me after Saturday night's encounter. I was being ridiculous.

I straightened my shoulders before entering the Herbology greenhouse and taking my usual seat. Sudrach and Lupin weren't present yet, but I forced myself not to let my mind wander. I set about neatly placing my supplies about my area and tucking my bag beneath the bench for Eris to nestle in. The two missing boys walked in minutes later, speaking rapidly to one another. Lupin was shaking his head, and Sudrach was looking exceptionally constipated. I watched as they both exchanged last words before parting rather heatedly and coming to sit in their usual seats. Liera was on one Hufflepuff as soon as he'd taken his seat, and I had turned my eyes forward to avoid making contact with the other.

Professor Longbottom walked in soon after and began our lesson. We took notes over the plant we would be working with today, and once he had finished, we began our observation of the plant as we followed his specific instructions. It was easier said than done when your partner wasn't talking to you and doing everything in his power to get under your skin. Wynn Sudrach had trodden on my toes twice, and "accidentally" elbowed my arm, causing my quill to create an uneven line across my words. When he stood up to retrieve a tool and bumped my shoulder rather harshly my fine nerves had frayed.

I stood too, a whipped out my wand, " _Locomotor Mortis_."

It was strangely satisfying to watch as he thud, buttocks first, to the ground. I resisted the urge to grin smugly in return to his stunned expression, but that expression quickly morphed into stone as he too whipped out his wand.

" _Flipendo_."

I was cocky in thinking he wouldn't fight back, so I didn't have time to block the spell that sent me shooting backwards, landing on my back across the green house.

" _Rictusempra_ ," came his next charm, but I was prepared.

" _Protego!_ " The spell hit him instead, sending him into peals of uncontrollable laughter. I didn't expect him to mutter out any other spell, but his breathless _Aguamenti_ proved me wrong and mortified me all at once. Now dripping wet in front of all of my fellow laughing third years, I sneered, " _Avis_ " and " _Oppungno_ " knowing full well what the combination of the two would bring considering a leg locked Sudrach couldn't run.

Professor Longbottom got to him before my spell did. " _Finite Incantatem!_ " he shouted, stopping my birds, the half blood's laughter, and the leg lock with one spell. Unfortunately I was still drenched, and by the burning in my cheeks, beet red as well.

"Both of you, I'll speak with you after class," Professor Longbottom demanded before returning to the front of the room to call for clean up and dismiss. I directed a harsh glare in Sudrach's direction before stalking to our table to clean up, wishing I'd never met the trouble making Hufflepuff in the first place.


	7. Chapter 6: Wynn

**8 September 2011**

 **Highlands of Scotland**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

"So you got detention then?" Victorie asked as she, Teddy, and I walked towards the great hall.

"Yeah, I'm not surprised though," Teddy replied to the petite blonde walking at his side. "Wynn here shot that Slytherin icicle across the room with one of his spells before thoroughly dousing her in water. She retaliated with a pretty nasty spell too, but Professor Longbottom countered it before it hit this idiot. I'm actually surprised they only have a week of detentions, although it is Longbottom, and he's normally pretty lenient."

"Can we not talk about it," I grumbled, glaring at the two. "I'd rather not start thinking about the hell I have to suffer through tonight until right before hand."

As we walked towards the Hufflepuff table, Victorie joining us even though she was Gryffindor, I saw MacKendrick glaring at me from the corner of my eye, and Rosier studiously ignoring both his presence and my own. Teddy cringed as her dark haired friend waved flirtatiously at him, batting her eyelashes dramatically.

"I wish she would stop that," Victorie said as we sat down, her distaste for Liera Goyle evident in her tone.

"Why, does it upset you, Vic?" I asked teasingly, knowing she would blush and deny it.

"Of course it bothers me!" She exclaimed, making Teddy's jaw drop while I felt my own eyes bug in shock. She was finally admitting to liking Teddy?! "Not that way, you idiots," she said, her cheeks turning a light pink. "I meant that obviously Teddy is bothered by her overly forward advances, and as Teddy's friend, I find her blatant disregard of his disinterest very off putting."

"Oh, I thought you were finally going to admit that you really just wanted to snog Teddy," I said with a overly dramatic sigh, causing both of my friends to blush before simultaneously slapping my shoulders. "Ow! Be careful you guys, you could have hit Ryuu!" An irritated hiss echoed from inside my robes as Ryuu slunk deeper into his carrying pocket to avoid my friends' flailing limbs.

After finishing an enjoyable dinner full of laughs and friendly banter, the last thing I wanted to do was head to Professor Longbottom's room to sort herbs for detention. With reluctant steps, I made my way from the Great Hall to the Herbology greenhouse, muttering about my woeful existence to Ryuu the whole way.

When I stepped in the room, Rosier and Professor Longbottom were already inside, chatting cordially, but I could see from Circe's tense stance that she was not as happy as she was pretending to be. "Ahh, Wynn, just in time," the professor said. "Now, if you two would leave your wands on my desk and follow me please." We reluctantly placed our wands down before following him to the massive storage pantry, it's overflowing shelves messy and disorganized. "I'd like you to go through one shelf at a time, dusting the shelf and alphabetizing the contents. Now, I don't know what problems the two of you are having and I'm not expecting you to talk it out. However, I will not tolerate another fight. If you don't want to talk, work on separate shelves. Now, you have two hours of work ahead of you, so hop to it." With that being said, he exited the pantry, shutting the door behind him.

"I'll start here," I said, gesturing to the closest shelf. I may still be mad at her for blowing me off yesterday, but I also still want to get to know her. She seemed so shut off from other people, and it was tragic.

"Alright," she said crisply before walking to the far end of the room to start pulling bottles and seed packets off of shelves. I sighed, staring after her in irritation before starting on my own shelf.

We worked in silence for a while before I decided to break it. "So, Rosier, why do you hate half-bloods?" I asked, not trying very hard to conceal the venom in my tone.

A tired sigh echoed from the other end of the room before she replied. "I don't hate half-bloods. I just have no need to befriend them."

"Why not? I mean, you seemed perfectly happy hanging out with Teddy and I two days ago! Were you honestly having more fun with the MacKendrick guy than you did with us?!"

"Life isn't about having fun!" She snapped, turning to fix her stormy glare on me. "At least not my life."

"We're teenagers. We're supposed to enjoy life and live it up before we have to act like adults. You need to loosen up!"

"That may be how your life is, but that's never how mine was or ever will be," she growled.

"Well what's stopping you!"

"My family!" She said angrily before her expression grew regretful, almost as if she were wishing she could take back her words. "Never mind, you wouldn't understand," she said, turning back to her work.

"Then make me understand," I said, walking over to her and gently grabbing her wrist, causing her wide, grey eyes to snap towards me in shock. "Help me understand you Circe. I want to be your friend and I don't know why you keep pushing me away."

"You're a Hufflepuff and a Half-Blood. I'm a Pureblood Slytherin. Do you see the problem now?"

"Those are just labels, they don't mean anything," I insisted.

"Maybe they don't in your world, but where I grew up, labels are everything," she said softly, before gently tugging her arm from my grip. "My family would be furious if they knew I was friends with a wizard who would never really benefit my family. So yes, I did enjoy spending time with you and Lupin, but it can't happen again, alright?"

We went back to work in silence as my mind continued to race. Her attitude finally made sense, but how was I supposed to help her if she couldn't be around me?

"If I left you alone outside of class, could we try to be friends then."

"Wynn, it won't work!" She protested in an exasperated tone.

"Circe, just hear me out. Can't we just sit next to each other in class? You seriously need a dose of fun in your life. You shouldn't have to be afraid of what your family thinks, but if that's the way it is, then we'll have to work around it. I'm not gonna give up on you, Circe Rosier, so we can do this the easy and inconspicuous way, or we can do it the hard way. It's your choice."

I stayed silent as I waited for her to respond. Ten minutes passed as we silently sorted, labeled, and cleaned.

"Alright," She finally said softly.

"Really?" I asked, surprise and excitement obvious in my tone.

"I'm not doing this to make you happy," she said seriously, pointing her finger at me. "I'm doing this so that you will eventually realize that it's not worth your time to try and befriend me, because obviously you'll never figure it out on your own. Just don't speak to me outside of class, alright?"

"Sure thing," I replied with a slanted grin on my face. "You're not gonna regret this, Circe!"

"I'd better not. Now come on, we should finish at least three more shelves before our detention is done."


	8. Chapter 7: Circe

_**Keep in mind that these next few chapters will be based on their fifth year. Aren't time jumps fantastic? Thanks for being so lovely!**_

 **Disclaimer: We do not, and never will own the rights to any familiar characters or original Harry Potter world ideas. They belong respectively to the original author, J.K. Rowling.**

 **25 August 2013**

 **Exmoor, England**

 **Rosier Manor**

He won.

Then again, I could have easily prevented it, but I'd be a liar if I said I didn't want his friendship. I owe my happiness to Wynn. Without his kindness, I'm not sure what the past two years would have looked like. We still kept our school interactions within the classroom, and the occasional private conversation in abandoned corridors. My hesitations, while still present, had ceased to a small doubt at the back of my mind. Occasionally they would probe the surface, but he had become an expert in soothing away my worries.

Most of my worries anyway.

That nasty voice still came, haunting me with things that could be. I fight them, but it's becoming increasingly difficult to do it alone, especially with my grandmother whispering plots into my ear. It was almost as if she knew the darkness was rising, threatening to consume me.

"Circe! Where are you, girl?"

I groaned in irritation before rushing from my room and down the vast staircase. Hesitating just around the corner of the sitting room, I took a moment to straighten out my appearance and correct my posture. "Yes, grandmother?" I acknowledged after entering.

Even in the comfort of our own manor she looked every bit the imposing matriarch. Seated with back straight and her white hair pulled into an elegant bun, she looked down her nose at me, "How is your relationship with the MacKendrick heir coming along?"

"As you expect it to, grandmother. He is completely blinded by fascination." I answered, face completely blank.

Her expression never changed, but I thought I might have seen something flicker in her eyes. "Good, good. You know, they are one of the families who still hold a grudge for the way the war ended? Rumor has it the boy's father is practicing the dark arts, but it's a bit foolish in this day. It's quite obvious that if a great wizard like Voldemort couldn't change things, then washed up fool doesn't stand a chance."

My hands clenched into fists behind my back, "Of course, grandmother."

She seemed pleased that I was in agreement with her. A year ago I would have been elated, but now it only left an unpleasant feeling in the pit of my stomach. "Go get ready, we are having dinner with them tonight."

 _What a way to tell me_ , I thought bitterly. I wanted to get out of here. I needed to, but where would I go?

An idea hit me. It was crazy. I'm not even sure it would work, but I needed to try. I just needed to get through this dinner.

I paired on off white dress with sandals before twisting my hair into a bun. While I waited to be summoned again, I wrote Liera a letter, explaining my plan. It was a bit funny, they way she was more encouraging of the friendship between Wynn and I than perhaps Wynn himself. At first I thought it was to get closer to Teddy, but when she moved on from him after Christmas break of Third year, I started to notice the way she left the seat next to me open in all of the classes we had with Hufflepuff. She stood up for me when a curious Slytherin questioned our closeness, and didn't question me when I'd return to our dorm a bit later than normal.

I'd confronted her about the subject towards the end of Fourth year, to which she smiled and said that happiness looked good on me. The answer seemed vague to most, but it was the only encouragement I needed. Somewhere along the way Liera stopped being a friend of convenience, though I'm not sure when. The Goyle Manor was only a few miles from the Rosier, so her reply via owl came quickly.

 _I'm not sure if you have a death wish, but I like this side of you. I'll cover for you, but no longer than three days. I've got a reputation to uphold too._

I burned the letter just as Hispy, the dreadful house elf, knocked on my door. "You're being summoned to dinner, young mistress."

I gave her a stern nod, "Inform grandmother that I will be down in a moment. I need to finish my makeup."

The she elf sneered at me, "Of course, young mistress."

When she had departed from my room, I pulled out another piece of parchment and quilled a quick letter to Wynn.

 _I'm coming. Please don't be startled._

 _-CR_

I tied it haphazardly to Ingrid's leg, before sending the family owl off with a treat. I only hoped she'd get there before I did. I turned to head out the door when a loud mewl and a soft pressure against my leg made me stumble. "Eris, you know you're not allowed to go to dinner with me. Grandmother doesn't approve."

The black cat, who had grown much larger these past two years, let out a low growl of disapproval. I bent down to pet her, careful to avoid getting fur on my dress. "I know, she's awful, but I'll be back before you know it." I left her to pout after that, and made my way down the grand staircase, already sure I'd get a scolding for being late. Voices floated up from the entrance, and when my feet touched the final landing noiselessly I was able to observe our guests before the took notice of me.

Lennox was bent at the waist, kissing my grandmother's hand like the perfect gentleman, his dark hair impeccably groomed, black button down and dress pants wrinkle free. His parents, Ilias and Francesca Mackendrick, were night and day. His black hair and olive tone contrasting her platinum hair and pale skin, which was even more prominent with her black evening dress. Mrs. MacKendrick and my grandmother were both overdressed for such a casual dinner party, but as it was, competition and extravagance was our life.

"Good evening."

My sudden presence at the foot of the stairs gave the group a bit of a start. I looked to grandmother for her silent approval, which I received in the form of a small nod. My tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and I gave the MacKendrick's a blinding smile. "It's so nice to see you all."

Lennox wasted no time, leaving his parents to grab my hand and place a kiss on my cheek. His stubble scratched harshly across my face, but I resisted the urge to scratch it. "Hello, darling," he breathed. "You look enchanting."

"Well, I have to look my best in front of the best. Do I not?" I patted his chest before walking around him to greet his parents. They greeted me warmly, enraptured by my facade. My smile left no room for doubts about where my alliances lied. Lies spun in gold and spoken with a silver tongue. The MacKendrick's were under my spell.

Lying about where I would be spending my next few days was easy, but getting to my intended destination was not. Under the hawk eyes of my grandmother and Eris, who was glowering at me at being left behind, I had no choice but to floo to the Goyle manor. When I landed, somewhat clumsily, into the sitting room fireplace I was met with the wide eyes of Liera. "What are you doing here?"

"I had no choice, grandmother watched me floo out."

She smiled at me, "Well, you're in luck. Mother and Father are in Paris."

"Thank Merlin, do you have any more floo powder?"

"It's on the mantle. Are you sure about this?"

My hurried actions were stalled by that question. I could get in a lot of trouble if I was caught, but I needed a break and curiosity was eating me alive. "Absolutely not, but what's life without a bit of thrill?"

"You owe me!" I heard her shout just as I shouted out my destination. She had no idea.

 **Birr, Ireland**

 **The Riverwalk**

When I appeared in the Sudrach's fireplace, I was bombarded with limbs and hair in various shades of blonde and red. I didn't have time to process my surroundings or breathe before I was pulled, rather haphazardly out of the fireplace.

"It's Wynn's girlfriend!"

"Wow, you're so pretty!"

"I love your dress, where did you get it?"

Three children, all who held an uncanny resemblance to Wynn, were wrapped around my waist and legs talking at lightening speed and smiling. Bright, unadulterated, joyful smiles filled my vision. I couldn't help but smile back.

It was the click of a camera that brought me back to reality.

"Alright, alright! Enough you three, go on with ya. Give the girl some breathing room," a petite woman with a head full of wild, golden curls scolded, ushering the complaining children to the back door. Once they had been escorted to the yard, I took a moment to smooth out my appearance and straighten my posture. My eyes sought out Wynn and his familiar mop of red curls. He stood off to the side, camera in hand and a blush turning his ears pink. His face was twisted oddly, and he wasn't looking at me. A man, who I assumed to be his father, walked up to me. Wynn looked a lot like his father, with the exact same russet hair and an identical smile. "It's nice to finally meet you, Circe. I'm Declan. I'd love to stay and chat, but my children tend to get into trouble when unattended." After a handshake and another smile, he too disappeared out the back door.

His mother once again appeared with a tea tray in hand. I suddenly was overcome with a sense of intrusion. "I apologize for my sudden intrusion, Mrs. Sudrach."

Her blue eyes widened, "Nonsense, my dear. We've all been waitin' to see the girl our little Wynnston has been on about for some time. I say, I don't believe I've heard him talk about any of his other fancies the way he has you."

Wynn's blush spread across his face and disappeared behind the collar of his gray shirt, "Mum! You've got the wrong idea."

"Oh, I'm just teasing." she laughed, patting him on the cheek. She walked back to me and led me to the couch, "Now, I don't want to hear anymore of this Mrs. Sudrach. My name is Meara, and I expect you to call me so."

"Yes, ma'am."

Wynn sat across from me on the love seat, his blush slowly fading. Mrs. Sudrach left us to go tend to her children as well, and I took the opportunity to confront him. "Why won't you look at me?"

"No, um...No reason. All of this just caught me off guard."

He finally looked up at me, and that blush appeared on his ears again. I realized he had never seen me dressed this way before. Still in my dinner attire, I was dressed to impress. Caught him off guard indeed. While he collected himself, I looked around the cottage. It's stone walls were covered in childish paintings and pictures. Considering his talent and passion, I had no doubt the pictures were Wynn's. The furniture was second hand, made of a deep brown polyester, and the coffee table was worn and handcrafted. The general area was cluttered with nick knacks, toys, and paper. I'd never seen such disorganization, but it was strangely comforting. The imperfection matched him and his family. I realized, with a sudden jolt that this was what I wanted: a tiny house with a large family.

Unfortunately, that was a dream.

It was a dream I would never have.


	9. Chapter 8: Wynn

_**Another week, another chapter! Are you excited to see how Wynn has developed? Let us know what you think!**_

 **Disclaimer: We do not, and never will own the rights to any familiar characters or original Harry Potter world ideas. They belong respectively to the original author, J.K. Rowling.**

 **25 August 2013**

 **Burr, Ireland**

 **The Riverwalk**

"Do you want a tour?" I asked, looking at the beautiful girl beside me, a smudge of soot sitting on her cheekbone after her trip through the chimney. My parents tried to keep it clean for visiting guests, but apparently Dad had missed a spot during the last sweeping. The small black streak did nothing to reduce her natural beauty though, which was was complimented well by the lovely dress she currently wore. "Circe?" I asked, trying to catch her wandering attention.

"Hmm?" She hummed, directing her gaze to me. "Oh, pardon me. I was lost in my thoughts."

"I was just wondering if you'd like a tour. It's not much, but it's home!"

"I think it's wonderful," she said with a wistful gleam in her eyes, looking around herself again before returning her attention to me. "I would love a tour, but maybe I should clean up and change into something a little less formal first?" She said with a teasing grin.

"Of course, let me show you to the bathroom," I said cheerfully, grabbing her small suitcase before she could protest and leading her down the hallway of our home and to the first door on the right. I placed her suitcase inside before leaving her to freshen up.

As I sat quietly on the couch, my mind wandered back to the moment when I had completed my mission of making Circe Rosier, ice queen of Slytherin, smile. It was right before Christmas during our fourth year. Teddy and I had been outside in the courtyard, chasing each other through the snow while Victorie sat and chatted with Liera and Circe, who had surprisingly become very good friends with the Weasley girl (once Liera got over her obsession with Teddy, that is). Lennox Mackendrick sat beside her, gazing at the side of her head all moony eyed. Teds and I had been flinging snowballs across the yard, trying to hit each other, and it just so happened that a stray projectile I threw slammed into the side of MacKendrick's head (I might have been aiming, but that is beside the point). He went flying off of the bench where he sat beside Circe, landing loudly in the snow. Everyone stared silently before the most beautiful thing I'd ever witnessed happened. Circe Rosier began to laugh.

It felt like I was a man who, after stumbling through the darkness his whole life, had finally caught a glimpse of the sun. At that moment, I suddenly knew my heart belonged to her, even if she could never take it.

As I ran out of the courtyard, dodging the spells MacKendrick shot at my retreating figure, I threw my right fist up in the air, letting a loud shout of joy escape my lips. I had finally made her smile, and just the thought of it still sent my heart beating out of my chest.

"Alright, I think I'm ready for that tour now," Circe said from behind me. I quickly jumped to my feet and led her through the house, showing her every crook and cranny of the place I had grown up and trying not to stare at her face too long. We had just stepped out into the garden when Circe pointed out something I was hoping she wouldn't notice. "Oh, wow. You have your own set of quidditch hoops."

"Yeah, dad set them up once I started taking an interest when I was little. Brigid and Cara like to play one-on-one when I'm not here."

"Well, how about you and I play for a bit?" She suggested, her eyebrows raised challengingly.

"Alright," I responded calmly, "Let's go get the brooms from the shed."

After grabbing the two brooms from their racks along with a quaffle, we made our way back outside and to the center of the miniature quidditch pitch.

"I haven't flown in a while, so let's stay pretty close to the ground," Circe said. I knew she was afraid of heights, but she was also too proud to actually mention it. Why she wanted to play this game of all things confused me, though.

"Sounds good to me," I said with what I hoped was a confident smile before I grabbed the quaffle in one hand and leapt onto my broom. I kicked off the ground, floating shakily up about six feet above the ground before I felt myself slipping slowly to the side. Before I knew what was happening, the world had been flipped on its head and I was suddenly slamming onto my back in the dirt, the wind rushing out of my lungs.

"Merlin's Beard, Wynn! Are you alright!?" I heard a voice ask over the ringing in my ears. It sounded a million miles away. A groan escaped me as a Wide eyed Circe leaned over me.

"I knew there was a reason I didn't join the quidditch team," I wheezed with a teasingly smile, which quickly morphed into a grimace of discomfort.

"I'm so sorry! I thought since you loved quidditch so much you'd be a great flyer! I never knew you would fall off your broom! Are you okay? Should I get your mum? I should get your mum! You might be hurt! Merlin, I'm a complete git."

"Circe," I said, cutting off her rambling. "I'm fine. I should have told you that I was a horrible flyer. It's ironic, isn't it, to love quidditch so much but to be stuck on the ground? I was afraid of having my pride bruised, but I've gone and killed it instead. It's not your fault though, so don't blame yourself. Now, help me up?" I asked with a cheerful grin as my lungs finally remembered how to properly draw in air.

"Sorry for my rambling," Circe said as she pulled me to my feet. "I was just terrified that I had broken my best friend. I don't think your family would be very pleased with me after that." She joked.

I stared at her in silence for a second, awe filling me. "Best friend?"

"What?"

"You called me your best friend."

"Best friend that is a guy, I meant," she quickly stammered. "I mean obviously you're not my _best_ friend. Liera would probably kill me if I gave that title to anyone else." Her face had been growing increasingly pink as she stuttered out and I decided to help her out.

"Well, Merlin forbid anyone should be put before Liera Goyle," I said with a laugh. "But if it counts as anything, you're my second best friend as well. Teddy would also kill me." She laughed, her composure now gathered before focusing her eyes on me.

"Well, I for one am actually glad that you're a horrid flyer. I thought I was going to have to play that awful game for hours!"

"Well, why did you suggest it then?" I asked with a grin.

She looked at her feet for a moment before meeting my gaze with a challenging look. "I knew that you enjoyed quidditch, so I thought I would repay your kindness by doing something that you loved."

"Awh, you do care," I cooed, catching her by surprise as I hauled her into a hug. She laughed before playfully shoving me away. "Now come on. Mum was mixing up cookie dough before you got here, and if my nose is correct, there should be some cooling on the counter right about now!" With that, I grabbed her delicate hand in my own and gently dragged her back inside my family's little house by the river.


	10. Chapter 9: Circe

_**You all make this a lot more special than it ever could be sitting in our drives collecting dust. Here is another chapter!**_

 **Disclaimer: We do not, and never will own the rights to any familiar characters or original Harry Potter world ideas. They belong respectively to the original author, J.K. Rowling.**

 **26 August 2013**

 **Burr, Ireland**

 **The Riverwalk**

My time at the Sudrach cottage was a mix of disorder, chaos, and life.

I woke up to the sound of pots, the waft of coffee, and the soft murmur of voices. The sun was just peaking its light through the airy, lace curtains of Cara's room, spilling over the floor. There was a warmth in the air that I'd never experienced before, even as my bare feet met the morning chilled floor. I made sure to make up Cara's blue sheets to perfection before throwing on a pair of denim shorts and tucking in a blouse. I spent a lot of time packing for this trip, trying not to appear as if I came from money, but also trying not to look like a mess. Spending time with Wynn's family was an entirely new experience for me, and not having even the slightest bit of control over the situation was putting me into a frazzled state.

With my wild waves tamed into a braid, I finally opened the door only to come face to face with Wynn.

"Oh, good morning."

His dimpled smile lit up the room, "Good morning! Coming down for breakfast? Mum is the best cook."

I merely nodded, smoothing my hair self consciously. I spoke with them very little yesterday. How did I need to act? How did I make them like me?

 _Why do you care?_

I had asked myself that same question for almost two years, and the answer was always selfish.

 _Because I want to._

I wanted this. I wanted to be around genuine people with good intentions. I wanted a few days without grandmother breathing down my neck, or the cold walls of a hollow mansion surrounding me.

"You don't have to do that, you know."

"Huh?"

Wynn was leaning down to look me in the eyes, his eyebrows drawn together. He was searching for something, and gave me a frown when he found it. "You don't have to be perfect. Don't pretend to be anyone you aren't when you're here."

One problem: Who was I exactly? Without my family name, without my family's reputation, without the ideologies instilled inside my head, I wasn't anyone. Who was I becoming now that I was trying to move on from my blood hate, from my own self?

When Wynn's frown turned back into that familiar smile, the part of me that wanted this overshadowed my doubts, and I allowed him to take my hand and lead me down the stairs.

The smell of grease and home cooked food overwhelmed me, and strangely reminded me of the Great Hall during feasts. At home, the smell of cooking always stayed in the kitchen with the house elves. Grandmother didn't appreciate the smell of cooked food wafting through the manor. Wynn let go of my hand and all but raced to the kitchen. I watched as he snuck up behind his mother and reached his hand slowly around her side, aiming for the bacon currently resting on a plate ready to be taken to the dining room. His slim fingers just grazed the edge of the plate before the woman took notice and whirled on him, slapping his hand away.

"Ouch, Mum!"

Wynn looked pathetically wounded, clutching the tormented hand to his chest, tall form hunched over slightly. The petite woman held no sympathy in her blue eyes as she looked up at him. "Serves you right. I raised you better than to act like a starving animal."

I struggled to contain my giggles with a hand firmly over my mouth.

"I'm a growing boy!" He exclaimed, that quirky grin slipping back onto his face. I watched the mother son duo bicker, and wondered briefly if I would have had the same relationship with my mum.

The grin slid off my face as I contemplated the idea of a death eater showing compassion. Nevermind.

"Circe?" Wynn was in front of me again, still smiling, always smiling.

"I'm fine, just a bit hungry."

Mrs. Sudrach appeared behind her son, pan in hand, "I hope it's more than a bit. I've prepared enough food to feed a team of Aurors."

The dining room was just as cozy as the rest of the house, a simple handcarved table with a bench on the side against the wall and chairs of similar texture and style placed accordingly. I followed Wynn to the bench, and found comfort in the way his knee occasionally brushed against mine. Mrs. Sudrach began heaping food onto plates just as Colman came skidding around the corner with Mr. Sudrach hot on his heels. The small, auburn haired child slid in beside me eagerly, gazing up at me with a gap tooth smile. I smiled back as he began to chat with me about Muggle things I'd never heard of. Brigid came skipping into the room not long after, tugging a robe clad, sleepy eyed, and stumbling Cara into the room behind her. Out of all the Sudrachs, I would never have expected Cara to not be the morning person, considering her bright personality at any other given hour of the day.

Meals at the manor had always been filled with deafening silence, only broken by the small pinging of cutlery on a porcelain plate. I spent most meals alone at a table too big and in a room too cold. The chatter of the Sudrach's at their intimate family table filled me with warmth. They occasionally engaged me in their mass conversation, but somehow sensed that I was much more inclined to listen. Wynn's family was...unique. They weren't like anything I'd been raised to believe a family of half bloods would be.

After breakfast, Mrs. Sudrach even let me help with the dishes, or more appropriately taught me how to wash them.

"You know, Circe, I'm fully aware of the consequences you might endure if you were caught here."

My breath caught in my throat, and my washing ceased. _How did she-_

"I know the signs. Wynn doesn't tell us much, but he has voiced some of his concerns. Seeing you for the first time only furthered my assumptions."

I returned to washing, keeping my eyes averted. "I'm afraid," my voice betrayed me so I cleared it and started again. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."

Mrs. Sudrach shifted to start cleaning the counters. "Your posture, your diction, your actions, they're from years of disciple and practice. The hesitance you have to be friends with my son, and the detached countenance you often wear when you feel you're being watched. I know what it's like."

Something akin to rage flashed through me, so hot and quick I didn't have time to suppress it. My hands clenched the cup I was washing and it shattered in my hands, "You don't have any idea what it's like to live in the hell I've been through."

Her rag came down a bit harshly on the counter next to me, and her blue eyes bore boldly into mine. "My maiden name is Shafiq, and my sister was a death eater."

I flinched visibly has her words hit me a little too close to home. My hands were starting to sting from the cuts the shattered cup had inflicted, but with a flick of her wrist, the cuts were gone. I stared at her silently, waiting for her to explain further.

"I grew up in a large Manor as you have, with two parents who cared more about appearances and their jobs within the ministry than they did about my sister and me. My family members were proud Ravenclaws, every last one of them, and I secretly hated that sorting hat for years after I was sorted into Hufflepuff. My sister had done everything right, which only furthered my cause to be perfect. I was prefect, Head Girl, and at the top of every class with OWLS that shined like gold compared to my fellow classmates. No matter how hard I fought against those Hufflepuff traits, I couldn't do it, even after I started working for the ministry." She sighed heavily, as if even telling this story drained her. "It was on a mass mission to the outskirts of Ireland in pursuit to obliviate a group of muggles that I met Declan. We fell in love fast, though he knew nothing of my wizarding heritage. I kept him a secret from my own family for as long as I could, but when I became pregnant with Wynn, I knew the truth had to come out at both ends. My family stripped my of my name and threw me out. Labeling me a blood traitor, a muggle lover. I expected no less mercy from Declan when I apparated into his living room that night, shivering and sobbing, but he accepted me fully, and proposed to me right then. When Voldemort began his coup, I had been devastated to hear that my own sister had joined his ranks. She and her husband were killed in battle. I wanted to fight, but Wynn was only six months at the time, so we stayed hidden in the muggle world until it was safe to settle down."

She stared at the far wall, lost in past memories. I gripped the edge of my shorts like a lifeline as I waited patiently for her to come out of it. The rage had subsided, leaving me slightly drained, but in its place something else washed over me. It was foreign, but I knew the word for it.

Relief.

I hadn't had anyone who knew what it was like to carry the burden of perfection after my brother left. Now I did.

Mrs. Sudrach turned her far away gaze on me, something flashing in her eyes. "You can be exactly who you are in the house," she finally told me. "And you can trust my son with your life. Remember that."

 _Screaming. Merlin it was so dark. Who was screaming? The pitch rose, piercing the darkness, ringing, haunting. The darkness was moving, swirling. An inky blot, resisting the darkness' unnatural flow, was coming forward. Closer, closer, it continued to draw closer, feeding off of the fear, the terror. Hopelessness, depression, anxiety._

I awoke with a gasp. Fear dug its claws into my chest cavity, but every tactic I had once used to chase away the panic wasn't working. The fluttering of lace curtains and dancing shadows only filled me with apprehension. _Could I?_ The shuffle of footsteps above gave me the answer, and I flew out of Cara's bed and to the closet door which encased the stairs to the attic. Once I had quietly made my way up, I knocked lightly on the trap door. There was a small click before it swung open, and I was confronted with Wynn's face just a bit too close to mine for the second time that day.

"Circe? Are you alright?"

I thought about lying, already regretting having come here in my moment of weakness, but I thought back to what his mum had said to me earlier that day.

" _You can trust my son with your life."_

So, I did. "No," I breathed. "I'm not."

Surprise flickered in his warm blue eyes,"Oh, alright. Well, come on up." He offered his hand down to me and helped me up through the gap.

Wynn had conveniently left his room out of the tour, but I wasted no time in glancing around. It was unsurprisingly Hufflepuff. The walls were a soft yellow with a single black stripe running along the top and bottom, and his haphazardly made bed and pillows matched accordingly. Ryuu lounged in the corner, half in and half out of his open cage that rested atop Wynn's trunk. Pictures, some moving some still, covered his walls and any open surface, with photo albums and books occupying two book cases along the back wall. A blue and yellow painting hung above his bed, and a yellow scarf was peeking out from the doors of his wardrobe. There were two other doors in his room, but I decided not to be nosy.

"What's wrong?"

Wynn rubbed a hand through his curls, making them stand on end. I wondered if my intrusion was putting him on edge. I quit analysing his room.

"I had a nightmare. I mean, I get them all of the time, but this one felt different. Real, almost as if it was more of a memory than a dream."

His demeanor changed immediately, and he turned into the Wynn I only ever caught glimpses of: serious, attentive, quiet. It was always unnerving, but tonight I appreciated it. We moved to sit facing each other on the bed as I began to let him into the places of my mind no one else had been before.

"My parents...They're death eaters, locked up in Azkaban and have been for a very long time. According to my grandmother, when my father found out my mother was pregnant during the war with me, he couldn't fathom the idea of her hurt, so he ratted her out to some Aurors and they locked her up. I was born in a dark cell seven and a half months later, too early for this world and right in the heat of war. My mother she...she didn't even get the chance to hold me. I lived in an orphanage until the war ended and my grandmother claimed guardianship over my brother and me." I refused to look Wynn in the eye, keeping my focus on the mysterious painting behind him. "I don't remember that part of my life, but sometimes I think that's where my nightmares come from, that some subconscious part of me is still baring the scars of my infanthood."

We both remained quiet for a long time, but it wasn't a silence I minded. His even breathing and steady presence began to sooth my anxiety. When he did speak up, his question caught me off guard.

"What's your brother's name?"

I sighed. It had been so long since I even let myself think about him.

"Caesar. After that muggle warrior guy from Roman Mythology."

Wynn smiled, "What is he like? Where is he now?"

"Well, Caesar is...different. He always has been. He never fit in with any of the pureblood friends grandmother tried to set him up with. He refused to have a girlfriend or even fraternize with a girl, especially if she was on grandmother's radar. When he was sorted into Ravenclaw, she began to hate him. His grades were phenomenal, and he was Head Boy, but that didn't matter to her. When he refused any position offered to him at the ministry, grandmother disowned him and forbid me to speak with him. Caesar was determined, strong, and compassionate. He wanted to work with underprivileged wizards and witches around the world. Last I heard he was somewhere in South Africa, but that was a little more than a year ago."

He scooted closer to me, and threw his long arms across my shoulders, pulling me into his chest. If MacKendrick or any other boy had pulled something like this without my okay I would have had a wand to their throat, but this was Wynn, my best friend. For now, I let myself be held, breathing in him, and the smell I would forever associate with Ireland.


	11. Chapter 10: Wynn

_**Did you miss us? We missed you! Thanks for all the reviews. Your love is felt from all corners of the world.**_

 **Disclaimer: We do not, and never will own the rights to any familiar characters or original Harry Potter world ideas. They belong respectively to the original author, J.K. Rowling.**

 **2 September 2013**

 **Highlands of Scotland**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

"So how was your summer? I mean, obviously the week where you came to stay with me was the best part. Nothing can compare to our time spent together, but what was the second best thing you did?" I rolled my eyes at Teddy's question.

"Well, if you must know, I hung out a bit with Circe. She came and stayed with us for a few days. I'm sorry that you have to hear this, but hanging out with her was better than staying with you," I joked.

Teddy released a dramatic gasp, his hand flying to his heart. "I'm wounded! I'll have you know that the Quidditch World Cup was about five times better than being stuck with you anyways," he sassed.

"I'll bet it was," I chuckled. "I still can't believe Rita Skeeter wrote about you and Vic in the _Daily Prophet_! It's a good thing she didn't find you two when you snuck off to snog in some back corner of the stadium. Don't even try to deny it," I laughed when I saw Teddy open his mouth to protest.

"Well, at least I'm happily in a relationship. All you ever do is pine after Circe. We both know you like her. Bloody hell, our whole dorm knows you're head over heels for her with all the mumbling you do in your sleep! I don't get why you won't just ask her out? You're not scared, are ya, mate?"

Here we go again, "No, Teddy, I'm not scared. I haven't asked her out simply because I know she would say no. She obviously doesn't see me the way I see her. She thinks she's good at hiding her emotions, but she's actually an open book, at least in terms of relationships. It's taken her two years to thaw enough to even consider me a close friend, and I'm not gonna mess that up by asking her out prematurely. Right now, what she needs most is a friend who cares about her and is there for her in a way Liera can't always be. Yes, I love her, but being in love with someone doesn't mean you have to be dating them and snogging in closets all the time. Loving someone means you are there for them when they need you, regardless of whether they actually know they need you or not. So, I'll wait. I hope that someday, she'll feel the same way, and for now I'll just show my love to her in the way she needs it most."

Teddy sat for a few moments in silence, mulling over what I had said. "It sounds like you've put a lot of thought into this," he said, his tone lacking its normal joking timbre.

"I talked with my mum about my feelings this summer, and she helped me work through some stuff," I admitted. Teddy nodded slowly, his gaze unfocused as he stared across the Great Hall.

"You're lucky, you know. To have such a good mum, I mean. From what I've heard, mine was pretty great, my dad too. I just wish mum could be around for me to talk to about Vic, you know. I'm sure she and dad would have loved her."

"Of course they would have, mate." I said, placing a hand comfortingly on his shoulder. "They'd have been so happy that you've found such a great girl, and proud of how brilliant you are in school. After all, you've totally going to ace the O.W.L.'s this year, right? Even though they can't be with you, I know they're definitely watching over you still."

"Yeah, you're right," Teddy said with a small smile, his eyes fixed on Victorie as she walked across the Great Hall towards us. "I know they'd also be happy I'd found such a great best friend."

"Hey Teds!" Victorie said happily as she slipped onto the bench next to him. "Are you alright?" She asked, her face etched with concern as she took in his expression.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Vic. Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you, that's all," he said, placing a kiss on the top of her head as he tucked her close under her arm.

"Oh, Wynn," Vic began, leaning out of Teddy's embrace for a moment to look at me. "I just saw Circe out by the stairwell with that Slytherin guy who always follows her around. She seemed pretty upset. You might want to check on her later to see if she's alright."

Dread washed through me. "I'll be back," I said, quickly climbing to my feet.

"Wynn, wait, I don't think that's such a good idea!" Victorie called after me, but I just waved her off. If MacKendrick was bothering Circe, I had to help her now, not later!

I spotted her soft, brown hair by the stairs and from her posture, I could tell she was irritated with the boy standing in front of her.

"Why couldn't you just sit with me on the train?" MacKendrick asked angrily, stepping closer like he was subconsciously trying to intimidate her. Circe didn't give any inch, glaring back coldly at him instead of shying away.

"My life does not revolve around you, Lennox, nor will it ever. I had plans to sit with Liera and those plans simply did not involve you."

"Circe, you're my girlfriend! You have to-"

"I am not and never will be your girlfriend," Circe said calmly, holding eye contact. "I do not need-"

"Is something wrong here?" I interrupted, sliding up next to Circe. I wanted to slip my arm around her waist to protect her, but I had a feeling she wouldn't appreciate it too much. "It sounds like she doesn't want you hanging around, MacKendrick."

"Shove off, Sudrach. This isn't any of your business," he spat, focusing his anger on me now.

"When I see some jerk harassing a girl, I make it my business," I retorted, stepping forward so I was chest to chest with him. I was suddenly very glad for the growth spurt I'd had this summer, making me taller than him by a few centimeters.

'You know what, both of you should mind your own business," a sharp voice cut between us, grabbing our attention. We both glanced over and found ourselves locked in Circe's frigid glare and I felt my blood turning to ice. I had just majorly messed up, and boy did I know it! "You two don't own me. I don't need to let you know where I am going and who I'll be with. I don't need you to look after me, and I _certainly_ don't need you to fight my own battles for me. What I do need is for you to both leave me alone!" She turned sharply on her heels and walked into the Great Hall, the heavy wooden doors slamming sut behind her, the thud echoing in my bones.

We stood in silence for a second before I felt MacKendrick shove past me, trying to use his stockier frame to body check me out of the way. I felt my hands ball into fists, but I knew Circe would be even angrier with me if I got in a fight with this jerk. I already had enough groveling to do.

"Now look what you did," he spat. "My girlfriend is mad at me now, all because you had to butt in."

"Circe was angry with you before I even intervened. Also, she said she's not your girlfriend, so I think you should take a hint." My temper was really starting to boil now. I didn't get angry often, but I definitely share a temperament with my mum.

"Oh, are you jealous? Circe's gonna end up with me, whether she likes it or not. Our families have had it arranged since we were born. There's nothing that a lowly _half-blood_ like you can do about it."

I really wanted to hex him into next year as he sauntered away. I wasn't even that mad about the blood status comment. (Okay, maybe I was, but only about a third of my anger was fueled by that.) What really made me see red was how he treated Circe like she was a piece of livestock to be auctioned off to the highest bidder and kept to strengthen bloodlines. She was her own beautiful, independent person and I knew MacKendrick was going to see that someday soon, right after she finally kicked him to the curb and made him stay there in the gutter.

So with a clenched jaw and white knuckles, I turned away from a fight I now knew wasn't mine to handle and retreated to my common room to plan my apology for the girl I loved.

"You know, I could take away points as punishment for breaking curfew." I muttered under my breath in frustration before stepping out of the shadows I had been standing in, walking up to the petite brunette prefect who looked about ready to run me through with the sword of Gryffindor.

"I would appreciate if you didn't." I said with a sheepish smile, stepping closer to her. "Teds and I already loose enough points as it is."

"What do you want, Wynnston?" she asked, irritation showing in her features.

"Oh, we're using full names? I'm hurt, Circe-Belle!" I joked. She apparently didn't find it funny, judging from her darkening expression. "Alright, your distaste for that awful nickname is noted. I promise to never use it again." I said, raising my hands placatingly.

"Don't make me repeat my question."

"Alright, alright! I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry." I saw slight shock register on her features before she slipped back into her cold persona.

"You are not forgiven," she said. She started to turn away again, dismissing me coolly.

"Wait, Circe!" I called, jogging up behind her as she slowly turned back to face me. "I really am sorry. I was out of line. I consider you one of my best friends, and I always try to look out for those I care for. I realized I crossed a line that I shouldn't have, and I wish you knew just how sorry I really am. I didn't mean to step on your toes or try to protect you when you didn't really need it. It's just that I care about you, Circe, so much, and I don't want to see you get hurt. I realize I'm in the wrong, and I can't promise I won't do it again if I ever think you're being threatened, but I promise in the future to try and think before butting my big nose into business you clearly already have handled. So please, say you forgive me?"

She stared at me in silence for and unbearably long time, her expression clouded and unreadable. I hated when she closed herself off from me. My breath was held tightly in my chest as I waited for her response.

"Fine," her voice cut sharply through the silence. The air burst out of my lungs as I exhaled in relief. "I'll forgive you, but you had better stick to that promise."

"I will, don't you worry!' I said cheerfully, trying to hold back the impulsive urge to fling my arms around her in a tight hug. It's never fun having someone angry with you, especially someone who you value a lot. It felt like a literal weight had been lifted off of my chest.

"I'll still have to take five points away from you for breaking curfew."

"Aww, come on, Circe!"


	12. Chapter 11: Circe

_**Our next chapter will be three days late, so expect a chapter next Monday. Thanks for being awesome!**_

 **Disclaimer: We do not, and never will own the rights to any familiar characters or original Harry Potter world ideas. They belong respectively to the original author, J.K. Rowling.**

 **3 October 2013**

 **Highlands of Scotland**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

Fifth year was insanity. Already a month and three days into the year, and I barely had time to breathe. Between prefect duties, preparing well in advance for my O.W.L.s, and classes in general, I hadn't had a proper conversation with any of my classmates or friends in a while. The only human being I had been spending time with was Lennox, and that was only because the twat didn't know how to leave me alone. There was a Quidditch match between Slytherin and Hufflepuff today, so that meant he'd have no choice but to leave me be for a few hours. I was going to spend every blissful minute of it figuring out a way to get a letter to Caesar and figuring out a gift for Wynn.

Wynn. Bloody hell I could strangle him.

I wanted things to always be like they were between us at the cottage, the same freedom to talk and act like the best of mates, but we couldn't. The farther I let him in, the more he seemed to forget that promise he made in third year. He didn't understand what I went through to cover up every interaction Lennox reported to my grandmother. It hurt to blow him off as one of Liera's friends that I was forced to interact with to stay in her good graces. It worked, but for how long would she stay ignorant to my lies?

"Circe! There you are!" Liera's voice cut through the noise of my thoughts, and I looked up at her in surprise.

"Is something wrong?"

That constant smile on her face only grew, "Victorie wants to go hang out in the commons before the game. It's sunny and uncommonly warm. Might as well enjoy it while we can."

It sounded nice, and by the lack of a sweater and robe, she wasn't lying."Who else will be there?"

"Teddy and Wynn. Come on! We haven't spent a lot of time together in a while."

She was right, and I missed my friends, all their shenanigans included. To hell with the consequences of Lennox finding out I was around Wynn without him. Let him tell Grandmother. I'd just lie again.

"Oh, alright."

Her answering squeal made me cover my ears.

It was uncommonly warm, and I was glad I'd opted for not wearing my sweater or robes over my skirt and button up. The boys and Victorie seemed to have had the same idea. The boys were sprawled on the grass, Teddy's head in Victorie's lap, Wynn with his shirt untucked and curly hair sticking up in every direction. Liera pulled me to them, and plopped me down right beside him, Eris curled comfortably into my lap.

His bright smile was soon directed towards me, "Long time no see, stranger. Finally decide we were better than paper and quills?"

Wynn's smile was a little too bright, and the muscle in his jaw ticked. He was upset, and the unspoken comment about all the time I'd been spending with Lennox was hanging in the air between us. The guilt I'd shoved deep down ran its fingers along my bones. Lately, I felt like the two of us only knew how to frustrate each other.

The other three in our company had directed their attention to some object Teddy had pulled out of his pocket, so I took the opportunity. "I'm sorry," I whispered in his ear.

His curls, soft as silk, brushed against my cheek as he pulled back to look at me, those cornflower blue eyes blazing and then softening.

His fingers wrapped lightly around my wrist, and he rubbed his thumb across my exposed forearm, a small gesture that I had grown increasingly familiar with. The warmth of his hand was gone as quick as it came.

"You coming to the game?"

I rolled my eyes, "You know I'm not."

There was a gasp, and I looked up to see Teddy sprawled even more dramatically across Victorie with a hand thrown over his forehead. "How could you miss the most epic Quidditch match of the year!? For shame! For shame!"

His girlfriend giggled, and then shoved him off her lap. Teddy's white hair turned gray as he mumbled gloomily.

"In all seriousness, why don't you go to the matches?" He asked upon sitting up.

His question made me tense.

Victorie studied me closely, "You're not scared of heights, are you?"

I tried. I fought so hard to keep the blush from creeping down my face.

Liera started laughing. "She is! I remember this one Christmas ball at the Malfoy's. A group of us were hanging out on the fourth floor balcony. I pulled her out there, and she started having a panic attack. Got so scared she honked over the side. Almost landed it right on old man Malfoy's head."

"Liera!" I couldn't believe she brought that up again.

They all laughed at my expense.

"It only makes sense," Teddy gasped as they calmed down. "Little people like to remain close to the ground."

I glared at him, "Making fun of my height now, are we Lupin?"

"Watch out, mate," Wynn warned, nudging his friend. "No one but you is going to be responsible for the hexes she inflicts on you."

The metamorphmagus shrugged, "Short people, short tempers."

My wand was in my hand before I had even registered pulling it out. "I'll show you just how short my temper can be."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait!" Wynn shouted, grabbing my wand arm and drawing it away from the offending party. "Let's just calm down. He's only messing around."

"He's right, you know. You are kinda short for your age." Liera agreed, no doubt trying to divert my irritation.

"Genetics," I grumbled. "Not that I see the problem."

Wynn laughed, flinging his arm around my shoulders, which I promptly shoved off. "Well, guess you got the short end of the stick this time round, eh?"

"When you wake up in the morning, do you premeditate all the ways you'll piss people off that day, or is it just me?"

"Only for you, Frostbite." he winked, a smug grin catching the corners of his mouth. "There isn't a single person I'd rather have my head filled with."

I shoved him backward, "You're insufferable, Wynnston Brian Sudrach."

Teddy grinned mockingly at his friend, "Oh, middle names? Since when did Slytherin's ice queen obtain all this ammo?"

"It's not as if I don't have any dirt on her! Isn't that right Circe Adr-"

My wand was at his lips before he could finish. "Finish that piece of information, and I'll glue your tongue to the roof of your mouth," I warned.

Wynn only shrugged and smiled, and I began to wonder when he started to differentiate my real threats from the empty ones.

"Hey, Circe, can I talk to you?"

It was Victorie who asked the question, which was unexpected. I rarely interacted with her, even during these small gatherings. She was a member of the Weasley family, whom Grandmother hated, so I often never bothered with her. The line between Wynn and I was becoming a little hazy, but that didn't stop me from keeping it dark and distinct when it came to everyone else. I tolerated her for Liera's sake considering they'd become fast friends after her obsession with Teddy dissipated, but my Grandmother's teachings kept me from letting her in the same way I had let Wynn. Her disgust for half-bloods was easily overlooked, but blood traitors were another story entirely.

"I suppose."

I followed her a distance away from Liera, Wynn, and Teddy who were smart enough to keep their curiosity at bay. When Victorie felt that we were out of hearing distance, she turned on her heel to face me.

"I know you dislike me."

I couldn't deny it, even if that rebellious part of me that had sprung to life somewhere towards the end of fourth year tried to tell me otherwise.

"And I get it," she continued. "Some families still harbor hate after the Second War, which for the life of me I can't figure out why. None of us played a part in it, though I know some suffered greatly." The sidelong glance she sent at her boyfriend didn't go unnoticed.

"Regardless of your feelings towards me or even Teddy, I think you should know that the both of us care a great deal for Wynn. To be honest, I didn't think him trying to befriend you was the best decision, but I've seen how much you mean to him. I also see the change he's making in you."

Was I really that easy to read? Had my traitorous thoughts battled across my face this entire time?

"Maybe it's the way you look at him now, or the fact that you at least tolerate us for his and Liera's sake. I appreciate it. Wynn's happiest when he's making other people happy. I don't think I know someone who is more fit to be a Hufflepuff than he is."

She was right. He felt so much. He cared too much. That boy would probably give his life for any one of us. He gave and gave, but what was I doing? I was taking that sunlight and happiness he radiated, putting it in the cavity of my chest, and praying it would chase the shadows away. I was taking and not giving back. Had I always been this selfish?

Victorie smiled at me, "Just don't hurt him, okay? He pretends his spell proof, but he's far from it."

As I watched her walk away from me, the overwhelming feeling of needing to talk to Caesar washed over me. If anyone would understand what was happening inside my head, it would be him. I didn't even tell them goodbye before I dashed for the castle.

 _Dear Caesar,_

 _It's been a long time since we've written, and I'm sorry I stopped making an effort. I was afraid of what Grandmother would think. I still am. Does that make me a bad person? I don't know if I would have made the effort to write you even now if I didn't feel so utterly conflicted. That makes me selfish._

 _There is a darkness inside me. It creeps and crawls beneath the surface of my skin. It burrows in my bone marrow, and merges with my blood. It invades my thoughts. Some days I find myself fighting the desire to manipulate and hurt the people who upset me, even those who are close to me._

 _I use to think it was all Grandmother's doing. That she placed this mental picture of what I was suppose to be, so it was all in my head. Though as the days wear on, I wonder if I was destined to be just like our parents. I wonder if the dementors of Azkaban sucked the soul from me before I was even born._

 _Recently, this other side of me, a voice that sometimes sounds like you, reaches through the darkness and finds me. It whispers rebellious thoughts, thoughts that make the darkness cringe. Those thoughts make me question everything I was raised to believe. The two battle for dominance in my head, so loud and unrelenting I sometimes think I'm going crazy._

 _Then there is Wynn, my friend, I think. He comes in, bright and warm like the sun. Those thoughts quiet when he's around, and the darkness retreats to the corners. I can't explain it. He confuses me too._

 _Wynn is a half-blood, and a Hufflepuff. Grandmother taught us to believe they were abominations, but when I look at him, I see something so far from her definition._

 _I'm all tangled up in this web of what's obedient and what's right that I can barely tell up from down anymore. How did you do it? How did you give up on everything you had been taught to believe? How did you figure out what was right? Why did you leave me behind to struggle in this darkness alone?_

 _I just need to see you again. I don't care if Grandmother finds out. I need my brother._

 _Love ,_

 _Circe._


	13. Chapter 12: Wynn

_**Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry! We suck, but here's your chapter!**_

 **Disclaimer: We do not, and never will own the rights to any familiar characters or original Harry Potter world ideas. They belong respectively to the original author, J.K. Rowling. All of the Irish slang in this chapter came from Google, and if it's incorrect, we sincerely apologize to any Irish readers for mistakes. A translation of the meanings will be provided at the end of the chapter.**

 **5 October 2013**

 **Highlands of Scotland**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

"Mate, I know that we're friends with Liera and Circe, but do you really have to dress in their house colors for the match?" Teddy whined from where he lay flopped on his bed in our dorm room.

"Stop complaining, Teds. It's not like we have any close friends in Ravenclaw to root for anyways."

"Yeah, but there are still so many prats in Slytherin, your future wife and her best friend excluded." I rolled my eyes before going back to drawing Liera's number on the green half of my face using silver paint.

"We'd better hurry up if we don't want _your_ future wife to strangle us both," I said, washing off the excess paint before dragging my tired best friend down to the common room. We exited through the barrels by the kitchen and hurried towards the foyer outside the Great Hall to meet up with Victorie.

The graceful blonde was already waiting for us when we arrived, and a happy smile curled across her lips as Teddy swept her into a quick hug, planting a peck on the top of her head.

"Wow, Wynn," Victorie said with a smirk as she untangled herself from her boyfriend. "Going all out to impress a girl who isn't even going to be at the match. That's dedication."

An exasperated sigh escaped my lips as I felt my irritation rise. Vic and Teddy were always teasing me about my feelings for Circe, and it was starting to get a bit bothersome. They just didn't seem to understand the delicate situation with Circe's grandmother and were always griping about how I should make a move. I wanted to, but for the sake of preserving what was left of Circe's already unbalanced home life, I would continue to hold back my feelings until she was ready to take a stand for what she wanted.

"Could you guys stop with the teasing," I grumbled. "It's getting old." I saw Teddy and Vic exchange a quick glance out of confusion before they apologized quietly. I ignored them and walked broodily towards the quidditch pitch, my hands stuffed in the pockets of my robes and my head down as my two friends trailed in silence behind me. We picked a spot between the Hufflepuff and Slytherin bleachers, and I held our seats as Teddy and Victorie went to get some snacks before the match started.

I stared silently out at the field where players dressed in green and blue were flying warmup laps, ignoring the whispers between my friends. I know I was being somewhat unreasonable right now with my moody attitude, but everyone is entitled to their bad days. If I didn't show Teds and Vic how bothered by their commentary I was, they would never stop.

"Wow, this is really high up." A familiar voice whispered quietly beside me. I was startled out of my thoughts, head snapping quickly to the side as my gaze landed on a very pale and shaky Circe. She leaned forward a bit to look over the railing before pulling back as she turned slightly green.

I quickly grabbed her arm and dragged her up a few spots on the bleachers, eventually settling in a place where the sudden drop to the ground was no longer quite so visible.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my tone filled with shock. I never thought she would come within 100 feet of this stadium, let alone _sit_ inside of it.

"My best friend is playing, I have to support her," Circe said, some color returning, although she continued to shake like a leaf.

"Liera's had other matches, but you've never come to watch those," I replied in confusion.

Circe stared ahead silently for a moment, a light pink crossing her cheeks, probably from the cold winds whipping through the open air bleachers. I quickly ripped off my Hufflepuff scarf and wound it around her neck to keep her warm.

"Wynn," her hands reached up and lightly grasped mine after I had settled the scarf in place. "I came to spend time with you." She said, her cheeks flushing a bit more as my eyes widened. "I mean, I you're my friend after all, and I've been so busy recently so I thought it would be fun to watch the game together, especially since you like quidditch so much and I just-"

"I'm glad you're here, Circe," I said with a blinding smile. It's amazing how quickly her presence can pull me from a funk. A soft smile crossed her lips in response before she buried her nose into my scarf, inhaling deeply. I was suddenly glad I had chosen to wash it recently. When Teddy and Vic got back, they smiled when they saw Circe sitting next to me before coming over and joining in the conversation. We chatted amiably while enjoying the game, my arm staying wrapped firmly around Circe's shoulders the whole time. I stroked her shoulder softly or toyed with her hair, trying to keep her distracted from our current high elevation. I admit, it was probably a bit friendlier than it should have been, but Circe didn't seem to mind at all, staying pressed tightly to my side.

All four of us cheered loudly when Slytherin's seeker finally snatched up the golden snitch, bringing the two hour long game to an end. A small hand slipped into mine and I suddenly found myself being pulled of my seat by the exuberant Slytherin midget beside me and dragged quickly down to the pitch.

"Liera, that was great!" Circe said happily as she dragged us over to her best friend, finally releasing my hand which she hadn't even seemed to register grabbing to tightly hug the raven haired girl. Liera returned the embrace, shooting me a teasing smirk over the top of her friend's head as I sheepishly ran my hand through my copper curls. I would have to clarify with her later that it was _Circe_ who had initiated the hand holding, not me.

"Oi, Sudrach!" A familiar and irritating voice shouted. I sighed in irritation as the captain of the quidditch team, Lennox MacKendrick, landed right near me, a thunderous expression on his face. "What in Merlin's name do you think you were doing during that match, huh!?"

"I haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about," I said cooley, trying not to lose my temper with this perpetually dimwitted fool.

"Oh, you have no clue what you did wrong?" He asked, his voice dripping with biting sarcasm.

"Isn't that what I just said?" I retorted.

"You couldn't keep your hands off my girl again, that's what you did wrong! You're just a filthy, little half blood Hufflepuff! You're not worth enough to even breath the same air as a pure blood Slytherin, let alone _touch_ one. She belongs to _me_ and if I _ever_ see you within 10 meters of her again, I will make you regret it," he spat.

I felt rage boiling beneath my skin, my body moving forward unconsciously, but a gentle hand on my arm made me pause.

"Lennox, stop it," Circe said calmly beside me, an expression of firm resolve covering her features. "Wynn was just helping me. You know I don't like heights. He was distracting me so I could finally watch Liera play." I smirked, glad that she had only singled out Liera and not mentioned this prick standing in front of us.

"Yeah, distracting you, sure. If that was the only reason, then why the hell are your wearing his scarf, huh?"

"It's cold, you half-wit," I snapped, but the steamed Slytherin ignored my rational.

"You're such a whore, aren't you, Circe?" He spat. "Once you're done warming his bed, how about you come and sleep your way around the Slytherin dorm? Maybe the other houses will-"

It felt like everything slowed down as my fist made contact with the prat's nose. I felt a dull throbbing slowly blooming through my hand as MacKendrick crumpled, his hand clutching his face tightly.

I felt time speed back to normal as I flung myself on top of him, my fists hitting him as I shouted all of the opinions I'd been keeping in for Circe's sake released like a flood. "How dare you think you're worthy of her! You're as thick as manure but only half as useful! Shite sure flies high when it's hit with a stick!" I felt my accent thickening as I threw insults I'd heard my muggle uncles and cousins toss at each other, my rage burning through my body. I vaguely heard Vic shouting for Teddy to stop us, but he refused, stating he'd rather get a few punches in as well. "I'll bust your dial, you gombeen! Mon well! I'm gonna make sure you're lyin in two north with a bowl of grapes and a bottle of Lucozade, ye plonker!"

"What is the meaning of this!" A voice boomed. I felt magic grab me as two teachers used their wands to separate us, and a jolt of pride raced through me as I took in MacKendrick's battered appearance.

"Detention, both of you!" Headmistress McGonagall said, a deep frown spreading across her aged face.

"Headmistress, Wynn was just protecting Circe!" Teddy exclaimed, shooting her a pleading look.

"I do not care about the circumstances. Attacking another student is forbidden. Madam Pomfrey, please see to Mr. MacKendrick and bring him to my office later. Mr. Sudrach, come with me." The spell holding me immobile was released, and I silently followed the Headmistress to her office.

"Sit," she said, sinking into her own chair across the desk from me. Once I was settled, she stared at me, her sharp gaze seeming to bore into my soul.

"What in the name of Merlin caused you to physically assault another student, Mr. Sudrach?! You have always been such a calm, kind student!"

"He was insulting Circe, Ma'am. He made very crude, derogatory, and incredibly false claims about her, and before I even realized what had happened, I was already hitting him and I just couldn't stop. And honestly, if I had to I would do it again, because although I may be a peaceful, happy Hufflepuff, I will protect those I care about with all the ferocity of my house's mascot."

The Headmistress sat in silence for a second, watching with her probing gaze as I stared back anxiously, awaiting her verdict.

"While I do understand the reasoning behind your actions, I will not revoke your punishment. Harming your fellow student is inexcusable. However, I will speak to your Head of House about giving you a less severe punishment than I had originally intended. You shall spend only two weeks of detention with Professor Sprout instead of the two months I had originally been planning. You're defense of your friends is an admirable trait, Mr. Sudrach, and I commend you for it, but I expect to never see you sitting in my office for a similar offense. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Headmistress," I replied, solemnly.

"Good. You are dismissed. Go get your hands seen to, and maybe take a moment to check on Ms. Rosier. She seemed quite shaken by the whole ordeal, although she hid it well."

"She always does, Headmistress," I said with a sad smile. "I'll make sure to go see her." I walked quietly out of the office, intending to go and do just that.

 **Translations:**

 **You're as thick as manure but only half as useful: You're worthless**

 **Shite flies high when it's hit with a stick: You think you're more important than you are**

 **I'll bust your dial: I'll smash your face in**

 **Gombeen: Shady, underhanded person**

 **Mon well: Fight me**

 **Lyin in two north with a bowl of grapes and bottle of Lucozade: I'll put you in the hospital**

 **Ye plonker: You idiot**


	14. Chapter 13: Circe

_**Did you guys enjoy Wynn beating the snot out of Lennox? We did! Get ready for more fun surprises!**_

 **Disclaimer: We do not, and never will own the rights to any familiar characters or original Harry Potter world ideas. They belong respectively to the original author, J.K. Rowling.**

 **5 October 2013**

 **Highlands of Scotland**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

When exactly my shaking switched from fear to rage, I wasn't completely sure, but I was sure of one thing: if Wynn hadn't punched him, I would have cursed him.

As I made my way to the infirmary, I kept trying to tell myself that I didn't enjoy the blood running down Lennox's face, that the rage that was blazing its way through my veins didn't feel good. I tried to forget that for a moment, I wanted Lennox dead.

He slandered me in front of the entire school. He made a fool of me and riled Wynn up to his absolute breaking point. I'd never once witnessed him so terrifyingly angry. I should have been terrified, but that dark part of me liked the chaos I'd unknowingly constructed. I hated myself for it.

The doors to the infirmary burst open, and a group of Lennox's piss pot friends stumbled out. A few leered when they saw me, but I didn't dignify them with a glare as I brushed passed them. I stalked my way over to where Lennox sat, hunched over on the edge of the bed. Madam Pomphrey was nowhere in sight.

He straightened when he saw me coming, and had the audacity to shoot me a smug grin. "Come to grovel at my feet? Really, you don't need to. It's your little Hufflepuff pet who should be apologizing."

"If you know what's good for you, you'll bite your tongue before I shove it up your arse." I warned, but it didn't seem to phase him.

"Always the insults. You're a lot more bark than bite. Besides, what would your grandmother do to you if she found out what kind of company you kept? We could just forget this ever happened if you tell the half-blood to bugger off."

Oh, he wanted bite, now did he? I'd show him just how big my bite could be. "Go on then, tell my grandmother all about the company I keep, just be sure to include the part about how you falsely accused her granddaughter of whoring around, and about the time you pushed me into a wall. Don't forget about the bruises you left on my arm from your too tight grip. Those were accidents weren't they? I hope you do remember that my grandmother doesn't believe in accidents."

There was rage boiling in his eyes, but also a certain helplessness that I found far too much joy in. "I don't believe in accidents either," I whispered, leaning closely. "If you don't tell her, I promise I will, and I'll be sure to include all the terrifying details. Imagine what she'll think of you? About what she'll tell other families? Can you guess what type of rumors will be spread about how inadequate your parents are. Practicing dark magic, and letting their abusive son run around with such a sweet, innocent girl. 'The Rosier girl deserved better,' they'll whisper, just loud enough for you to hear. 'The Mackendrick boy was trouble from the start, I just knew it.'"

"What do you want from me?" he whispered harshly.

I straightened, brushing out the non existent wrinkles in my jeans and adjusting my braid. "I want you to leave me alone," I informed him, not batting an eye. "If you don't, well, I guess you can figure that one out for yourself, can't you?"

Broken, defeated, helpless. I'd won, and satisfaction stirred within me. _He deserved it_ , the voice whispered, and for once I didn't find myself struggling to disagree. As I reached for the door, I threw the slumped quidditch captain a sweet smile. "One more thing. The half-blood has a name," I called out over my shoulder, "It's Wynn, and if I catch you bothering him, you can expect me to follow through with all of those promises I made."

I encountered Wynn on my way to the Slytherin dorms. I couldn't get to him fast enough. All rational thoughts flew out the window when I saw him pacing above the stairs that lead to the dungeons, and I all but threw myself at him.

"Woah!" he stumbled back, but managed to stay upright as I squeezed the life out of him. "Circe? What are you doing?"

"You're mad!" I shouted, head buried in his chest. "A complete nutter!"

"Can't breathe," he choked, and I let him go immediately.

"What were you thinking?"

There was no smile on his face, not even the slightest tilt to his lips. His blue eyes bore into mine, "I was thinking that I'd had enough of letting things go. I was thinking that if he spent one more second treating you the way he has been, I would never forgive myself for letting it happen."

"Wynn-"

"Bloody hell, Circe! He humiliated you! Did you expect me to just stand by again?"

"Wynn."

"I know that he is something to you, whatever the hell that is, but you deserve better. Why can't you see that?"

"Wynn!"

"What?" He shouted, and then winced, breathing hard.

"Thank you," I murmured, grinning at him.

That familiar, dazzling smile returned, and he yanked me back into a hug, burying his face into my hair. "You're welcome."

His heart was beating fast, I could feel it through his sweater, and I wondered if he was still riled up from the fight. "I broke things off," I blurted. "Well, there technically wasn't anything to break off anyways…"

Wynn pulled back, looking down at me, "What?"

"We were using each other," I admitted. "I wanted my grandmother off my back, and he needed a face within the circle of the upperclass. At first he understood, but his father is a tyrant and treats his mother like she's an object. I should have guessed Lennox would be the same. I thought about telling him that it was off the first time he shoved me into a wall, but my grandmother was so proud of me. For once in my life, she actually looked at me like I meant something."

Something sad flittered across his face, "What changed your mind?"

"You're mum. I never knew that our stories were so similar, and then that night, in your room when I told you about my nightmares. I'd never felt so safe before. I'd never felt so... cared for." _Loved_ was the word I avoided. It felt right, but I wasn't entirely sure what it meant.

Wynn's blue eyes seemed to be looking into elsewhere for a moment before he came back. "What are you going to do about your grandmother?"

It was a question I didn't entirely know the answer to, and I was hoping Caesar could help me out with that. "Nothing for now, except maybe tell her the truth about Lennox. I'm still figuring it out."

He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, and smiled softly, "You always have a home in Ireland, you know that, right?"

My cheeks grew warm, and I looked down to hide it, "Yeah, I do."

 **6 October 2013**

 **Highlands of Scotland**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

As a prefect, I spoke with the headmistress often, but never on a level that wasn't about transfiguration or prefect duties. When I was summoned to her office the following day, I hadn't expected anything different, "Good morning, Headmistress," I greeted.

Headmistress McGonagall was a force to be reckoned with, even at such an old age. She was elegant, dignified, and stern, not that I'd admit it outloud, but I looked up to her, aspired to be her. Grandmother would surely kill me if she ever knew. Respect had to be gained, and the Headmistress had done nothing but demand it from the moment I walked through the doors as a jaded eleven year old.

"Sit down, Ms. Rosier, we have much to discuss." The tone of her voice gave nothing away, and I watched her closely for any signs of irritation. She was perfectly unreadable. I did as I was told without question.

"I worry about you."

That was unexpected, and I jerked forward in astonishment. "What?"

"Your brother, Caesar, is a bright young man. He always has been. I greatly appreciated his dedication to transfiguration, and I'm proud of the man he's become. Although, just as I worry for you, I also worried for him. Unlike you, Caesar was very forthcoming about his frustrations with his home life. I know of your situation, and I've seen what families like yours can do to children."

When she trailed off, I was left feeling very confused and slightly angry. What right did she have to speak about my family? I didn't understand what she wanted from me. "I don't think I understand where this is going, Headmistress."

"I want to offer you what I offered your brother, what I should have offered many children of irrevocable families in the past."

"And what is that?" I asked apprehensively.

She stared me dead in the eyes, "A way out."

I'm sure my eyes were bulging out of my head, "A what?"

"A way out," she repeated. "Tell me, Ms. Rosier, what do you want to do after you graduate?"

For most, this question had no right or wrong answer, but in my case.. "Grandmother wants me to be the Minister of Magic."

"And is that what you want?"

"I-" could I tell her? Could I be free of my grandmother's demands? Did I want to be?

The answer, which should have been a bit more complicated, was simple and vastly different from the one I would have given a year ago. "No. It isn't."

"Has anyone ever asked _you_ what you wanted in life?"

They hadn't, and the fact that the Headmistress knew that was comforting. For once, someone cared to know what I wanted for myself. Not even Wynn had done that. "I want to be a herbologist," I blurted. "I want to study plants, and write books about them. I want discovery and simplicity. I want normalcy and freedom. Am I allowed to want those things? Am I allowed to be so selfish? At one point, all I wanted was to please my grandmother and inherit the fortune she'd leave behind. All I wanted was to carry on the Rosier name, but something's changed. I can't remember when it did or even how, but I'm scared of it. Because more than anything, I'm scared of not being good enough for anyone."

My breathing was labored, but my shoulders, for once in my life, felt lighter than a feather. Headmistress McGonagall's face had transformed into a smile so bright it was blinding. "I can help you with that, but first, I'll need your unconditional trust. Even when times get tough, I need to know you can believe in me and believe in yourself."

She was asking a lot, and she knew it. Things were changing quickly, but I was ready. "I trust you."

"Good, now how about we see to a visit from that brother of yours?"


	15. Chapter 14: Wynn

_**We are practically teasing you by now, aren't we? Sorry not sorry, but we do love fluff and stuff. Here you are!**_

 **Disclaimer: We do not, and never will own the rights to any familiar characters or original Harry Potter world ideas. They belong respectively to the original author, J.K. Rowling**

 **11 October 2013**

 **Highlands of Scotland**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

"So, you're birthday is coming up next week," A familiar feminine voice stated smartly as Circe took a seat beside me on the edge of the fountain in the castle's courtyard.

"That it is," I replied with a smile, turning to face her. She'd been more open to hanging around me in public after she 'broke up' with MacKendrick over a week ago, but I was still a little surprised she had chosen such an open place to have a conversation, especially since Liera wasn't around to use as an excuse.

"Well, seeing as we're friends and friends normally get each other birthday gifts, I was wondering what you would like?"

"Circe, you don't need to do that. It's perfectly fine if you don't get me anything," I insisted with a warm smile.

"But I want to, Wynn. Now come on, what do you want?" She asked again, her expression serious.

"Circe, I'm serious. You don't need to bother. It's just a birthday after all."

"Wynnston Brian Sudrach, I will be giving you something for your birthday whether you'd like it or not, and since I'm sure you'd prefer something I didn't choose out of spiteful irritation, you had better start talking! Now, what do you want?"

"Fine, fine," I chuckled, amused by her unwavering insistence. "I want you."

Circe raised an eyebrow as she scrutinized me closely. "Well that's a bit forward, isn't it, Sudrach?"

"Merlin, Circe, I didn't mean it like that!" I exclaimed, feeling my face bloom a bright red. "I want to spend time _with_ you! There's a Hogsmeade trip the day after my birthday, so I just wanted to go with you and-"

My panicked rambling was cut off by Circe's loud laughter. It amazed me how much she had relaxed since ending things with that Slytherin prat. Despite all the social progress she had made in the past few years, it wasn't until a week ago that she would dare laugh aloud in a public place where other people could see her. It really warmed my heart to see the change in her."

"-Would never do after all."

"What?" I asked stupidly, coming out of my thoughts.

"Were you even listening? Honestly, sometimes you're flightier than a flitterby. I was saying that of course I'll go to Hogsmeade with you, but we are not going anywhere near that stupid tea shop! Lennox tried to drag me there and it was absolutely disgusting seeing all of those snogging couples hunkered down in those booths together. The sight scarred me for life."

"Alright, no Madam Puddlefoot's then I promise. We wouldn't have gone there anyways, probably. I mean, that's where couples go and we obviously aren't a couple, right?" I trailed off awkwardly.

"Right, of course we aren't," Circe said cheerfully. I felt a twinge of hurt in my chest but shoved it away. There was nothing to be upset over, it was just the truth. Sometimes the truth hurt so badly though.

"-ee you later." My focus flew back to Circe as she walked quickly back inside the castle, oblivious to the fact that I had zoned out again. I stared silently in the direction she had disappeared for a few long minutes before inhaling deeply.

"Well… That went surprisingly well," I said softly under my breath before heading for my common room.

 **18 October 2013**

 **Highlands of Scotland**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

"Hey, sorry I'm late! Liera wouldn't let me leave until she approved of my appearance." I turned and my jaw almost dropped as I took in the gorgeous girl in front of me. Liera had dressed her friend in an emerald green dress with black leggings and heeled boots, added a braid crown thing in her hair, and added some makeup that made Circe's already stunning looks even more obvious. "I think she went a bit over board though."

"No, no it's perfect. You're perfect. I mean… You look very nice, Circe."

A light laugh left her lips. "Thank you, Wynn. You don't look too shabby either."

I glanced down at the nice jeans and polo I was wearing, glad that for once my mum's strange habit of sneaking unexpected things into my school trunk had actually paid off. It was much better than the dung bomb she had planted as a gift for me to use during the school year that accidentally exploded on the train instead.

"Oh, thanks," I said, sheepishly running my hand through my curls as my lips curled into the crooked grin that had always driven me crazy. "Ready to go?"

Circe nodded before we headed out towards where the carriages were waiting. There was a small problem though. There were absolutely no carriages in sight.

"I told Liera she was going to make us late," Circe grumbled angrily, turning around to glare at the castle.

"Hey, it's alright," I said cheerfully. "Today is really nice, especially for October. We probably won't get another warm day like this so we might as well make the most of it, right? Let's just walk instead."

"Well, if it doesn't bother you too much," Circe said, before falling into step beside me as we made our way towards Hogsmeade Village.

"No, not at all. Actually, it'll be nice to walk. That way we can spend some time together without other people milling about or looking at us weirdly."

"True," Circe said, a soft smile making its way onto her face.

We had been walking for about 10 minutes, chatting happily when Circe suddenly grabbed my arm and tugged me to a stop.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked, turning to face her.

"Oh, nothing," She replied, a wide smile spreading across her face. "I just thought now would be a perfect time to give you your gift, that's all!"

"Circe, you didn't ha-"

"Well, I wanted to, so I did. Now shut up." She ordered teasingly.

"Yes ma'am," I said, a grin curling across my face while she rolled her eyes at me before reaching deeply into the charmed bag at her side and pulling out a medium sized box. I took it gently from her before plopping down in the grass on the side of the road and carefully pulling off the wrapping paper. My hands pulled up the lid of the box and I felt my jaw drop as I looked at the beautiful object lying amidst yellow wrapping paper in the box.

"You got me a Polaroid camera." I breathed, lifting my awestruck gaze to Circe's concerned face.

"Do you like it? I can get you something else if you don't. I just figured that since you said you always had to develop your own pictures in the dark room in your bedroom because digital camera's fritz out because of your magic, one that developed pictures for you might be a good gift. If you don't like it that's fi-"

"I love it!" I yelped, flinging my arms around her happily as she stiffened and then relaxed in my grip. "How did you even get it? I didn't think your grandmother would let you buy muggle products."

"Well, being on the good side of the Headmistress has its perks," Circe said with a wink. "Now come on, Birthday Boy! We want to get to Hogsmeade before it's time for all the students to head home!"

I smiled as I stood up, pulling her to her feet as well, my new favorite object hanging loosely from its strap around my neck as I followed my favorite person in the world towards a much anticipated afternoon.


	16. Chapter 15: Circe

_**One day late! We're sooooo sorry! Everything about life is just kicking us in the ass right now. Enjoy!**_

 **Disclaimer: We do not, and never will own the rights to any familiar characters or original Harry Potter world ideas. They belong respectively to the original author, J.K. Rowling**

 **30 October 2013**

 **Highlands of Scotland**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

"How have you been sleeping?" Headmistress McGonagall asked, sipping from a tea cup.

Eris lounged purring in my lap as I stroked her fur methodically. My weekly meetings with the headmistress had become somewhat of a therapy session. She became my mentor, guiding me through things I didn't entirely understand, helping me figure out my memories morphing into nightmares. In the past month we'd been discussing the voice in my head and my sleeping habits. They seemed to be a major point of interest for the elderly witch.

A sigh escaped my lips before I could help it, "Like I always do. Some nights I sleep soundly, and others I'm plagued by screaming and shapeless shadows darker than the darkness that surrounds me. It always leaves me feeling cold, and sad."

"I've been pondering your dreams," McGonagall set down her tea cup to lean forward. "Do you know the origins of your birth place?"

The large room shrunk in on me. "Azkaban," I muttered. "I was only there until they cut the cord. Grandmother let it slip to a prominent family, and they spread rumors about how I was born without a soul. Sometimes she would tell me that I was lucky to be alive, and that something rotten must live inside of me for my life to have been so."

"And this voice, when did it first appear to you?"

I froze at the memory, my fingers digging a little too harshly into Eris' fur. As if sensing my emotions, she purred louder instead of hissing. "I was young, five I think. I was playing with Liera and Caesar on the terrace when it just appeared. ' _Push her off_.' it said when Liera was playing too close to the edge. ' _Do it. Push her off_.' I almost did, but Caesar caught on and dragged me kicking and screaming to my room."

"Hm," the headmistress muttered, "and has it plagued you recently?"

I had to think about it. While I associated the disembodied voice as a physical voice within my head, I also associated it with the dark thoughts and feelings that invaded my mind. The last time that happened was when-

"Lennox," I blurted. "When Lennox and Wynn fought on the pitch, and later when I confronted him in the infirmary. I felt disgustingly satisfied at all the pain and chaos. When Lennox insulted me, I was overwhelmed with the idea of killing him, but later when Wynn and I were talking in the corridor, they all seemed to disappear."

The smile that lit up the old woman's face was unexpected, "I believe I have the answer to your problem."

Skepticism rose within me, "You do?"

"Ms. Rosier, you're entire life the people closest to you have treated you as if you were something to be feared, made of darkness itself. That kind of mental abuse leads to brainwashing of the most dangerous kind. I've seen it happen to many of those who turned to the dark arts in the past. Parents who desire their children to fall into the same trap they fell into willingly. Tell me, what, or rather who, does the voice sound like."

I hadn't thought about it before, but when I did the realization knocked the breath out of me, "I-it sounds like my grandmother."

"And that's because it is," she nodded. "These lies that have been ingrained into you since the day you were born have manifested and taken on a form that could be heard, and what better way to do that then to turn to the one place we all trust unconditionally. The mind. It is indeed a dark time when we can't trust in our own thoughts."

It all seemed ridiculous, too terrible to be true, and this realization was making my head reel. How could the woman I trusted and aimed to please the most, try to turn me into a monster? I couldn't believe it. I wouldn't. My grandmother loved me. She wanted what was best for me, even if it meant I wouldn't be happy. Telling me about my flaws, trying to pair me with Lennox, the ministry, keeping me away from impure bloodline, warning me about the evil I was capable of... She wouldn't- She couldn't-

"No! No, you're wrong. She wouldn't do that to me. How could she? We are all each other has left. If she doesn't care for me that means I have no one! My whole family has abandoned me! Do you know what that's like? Do you know how it feels to be left!?" My head was screaming at me. I couldn't breathe, how could I have been so blind?!

The room went dark as all the candles and the fireplace were put out by a gust of wind, and the Headmistress grabbed me by the shoulders. My head jerked up at the contact, and her eyes were blazing with determination.

"Circe! Listen to me, girl, listen. You are a powerful witch, capable of many great things and a great many dangerous things, but you have choice! You have always had a choice. Dark magic isn't born into us, it's fed. You might have been abandoned, but not everyone who cares for you has left. Not everyone will leave. As hard as it is to believe, your grandmother has poisoned you, but that doesn't mean you have to hate her. It doesn't mean you have to leave her."

Something was spilling across my cheeks, and it was a long moment before I recognized them as tears. "Then how-" I choked, wiping furiously at my face, "How do I get rid the voice?"

Headmistress McGonagall removed her hands and produced a handkerchief, letting me compose myself before she answered, "That is something I cannot give an answer to. When the time comes, you'll know what to do."

The Great Hall was inundated with anticipation for the Halloween feast. No member of any house bothered to remain at their designated table, choosing to mingle and scramble for any available seat. By the time I had arrived, laughter and excitement bounced off of the stone walls in every direction, and I struggled to find my usual group in the sea of black robes. My searching eyes landed briefly on Lennox seated at the Slytherin table where I had spent the last four years sitting. He hasn't spoke to me since our encounter in the infirmary, and has kept true to my demand that he leave Wynn alone. For that I should be grateful, but when his eyes met mine his lips twisted into a patronizing grin that left me wondering how much his roll in my life played into what my grandmother was trying to accomplish.

A hand landed lightly on my arm, "There you are, Circe, I've been looking everywhere for you!"

It was Liera. I let out a breath I didn't realized I was holding. "Sorry," I apologized with a smile, looping my arm with hers. "Headmistress McGonagall was talking with me about tonight."

"He's actually coming then?" She dropped her voice to a whisper as she guided me to the rest of our friends.

I nodded, "I'm nervous."

Liera offered me a toothy grin, "Don't be. I'll be there the whole time."

Suddenly, I was ripped from her grip and yanked into another pair of arms. "Happy Halloween!" Wynn shouted, gripping me tight and spinning me around in a few circles. Everything about his happiness was infectious, turning all my worries into laughter that bubbled up from my chest.

"Happy Halloween to you too," I grinned, hugging him back briefly, as he set me down. His face was almost as red as his hair when we parted. Picking me up must have strained him.

We all sat down as the Great Hall was called to attention. The celebratory speech was given, food magically appeared, and the chaos of Halloween ensued as it always did. The ghosts were causing a ruckus, Peeves especially, and Teddy and Wynn had us in hysterics the entire time. Being with them always brought me a peace I never felt anywhere else, and it was only when I sat so closely to Wynn that his warmth, his sunshine felt a little like coming home. Is this what the Headmistress was talking about? Are these the people who will care for me unconditionally?

"You've got prefect rounds tonight, don't you Circe?" Teddy asked suddenly, mischief sparkling in his eyes.

I looked at him skeptically, "Yes…"

"So, hypothetically speaking, if you caught Wynn and I roaming around after curfew in search of a myth-"

"I'd be forced to deduct points from your house and give you detention." I cut him off, meeting his puppy dog face unflinchingly.

His white hair faded to black, and he threw himself dramatically into Victorie's arms. "The ice queen won't fall for it! I'm irresistible!"

"You're plenty resistible," Victorie joked, pushing him off of her.

The metamorphmagus grinned smugly, "That's not what you were saying three hours ago when I-"

"Oh Merlin, please you two. My food is going to make a reappearance." Wynn whined, covering his ears.

"You're just jealous because you're single," Teddy teased, wrapping his arm around the crimson faced girlfriend.

"Why are you single again?" Liera asked. "I'm sure plenty of girls love the whole "I'm the type of guy you can take home to your parents," act."

Wynn's whole attitude changed immediately. He went from slightly slouching to ramrod straight, and began fidgeting with the sleeves of his robe. "I'm just not interested in any particular girl right now."

None of us bothered to press him any further. After years of knowing each other, it didn't take a genius to know that any subject Wynn was nervous about was a subject you quickly dropped.

After that, the mood shifted back, and the group resumed joking and carrying on, but Wynn's reaction to Liera's question bothered me. He was hiding something.

Later that evening Liera and I snuck out of the Slytherin common room and made our way briskly to the Headmistress's office. I was shaking with nerves and lightheaded with anticipation. Seeing Caesar was like a dream and a nightmare. What would I even say to him? When we reached the final stair and the room opened up before us, none of my hesitations mattered.

There he was, standing a yard away from me. The familiar, unruly mass of light brown hair and the gray eyes that crinkled in the corners when he smiled. He was taller and tanner than the last time I saw him, but he was still so heart wrenchingly Caesar. I wasn't sure how long we stood gaping at one another until I was running and flinging myself at him, giving into the tears that I had let drown me since the day he was forced to walk out of my life. His arms were squeezing the life out of me as he whispered, "Merlin's beard, I've missed you. I've missed you so much." over and over again.

When I finally calmed down and his grip loosened, I pulled back from him to wipe at my face, "I can't believe you're here."

"Neither can I. I thought for sure Esmeree would keep you away from me forever." Grandmother had always been Esmeree to him, even when we were young.

A sad smile creeped onto my face, but to avoid the tension of our impending conversation, I turned and gestured to Liera. "Do you remember Liera?"

My brother turned to look in her direction, surprise etching onto his face as he noticed her in the room. "I do. It's nice to see you again." His voice seemed a bit strained, but he grinned at her nonetheless, and Liera blushed at the attention.

"We have much to discuss, little sister."

"I know."

His face became grave. "Are you sure you're ready for the truth?"

"No," I took a deep breath, "I don't think I'll ever be, but I need to know everything. I need to know how to be free."


	17. Chapter 16: Wynn

_**So**_ **yoitsyourstruly** _ **is always on top of updates, but I live by the phrase "fly by the seat of your pants," so this chapter was a little late. Sorry for the long wait and hope you enjoy! -CalliL13**_

 **Disclaimer: We do not, and never will own the rights to any familiar characters or original Harry Potter world ideas. They belong respectively to the original author, J.K. Rowling**

 **12 December 2013**

 **King's Cross Station, London**

 **Platform 9 ¾**

"See ya after break, mate! Have a Happy Christmas!" Teddy called as he bounded off to find his grandmother, one hand tangled tightly with his girlfriend's while the other held both of their luggage.

"Bye Teds, bye Vic!" I shouted after them. The blonde turned back to give a quick wave and grin before disappearing into the crowd with my best friend, who's hair was switching colors every few seconds due to his excitement.

"WYNN!" I turned towards the cacophony of voices calling my name, only to be nearly tackled to the ground by three small forms.

"Wynn, you're home!" Brigid cried happily, her arms wrapped so tightly around my neck she was almost strangling me.

"We've missed you so much!" Cara cheered, her short arms wrapped as far around my waist as they could reach.

"Don't ever leave us again!" Colman ordered, clinging tightly to my left leg.

"I missed you guys too," I said, a big smile blooming on my face as I ruffled Cara's hair. "I'm so excited to be home for the next two weeks. We'll definitely have to go out and do something together, no parents allowed, alright?" My younger siblings cheered happily, bringing an even bigger smile to my face. As much as I loved being at Hogwarts, it did suck that I had to miss out on so much time with my brother and sisters. It had only been a couple of months since I'd last seen them, but they had changed so much, and I'd missed out on all of it. My family was one of the most important things in the world to me and it was really difficult to be away from them for so long.

"There you four are! We've been looking all over!" My mum scolded, although she didn't look too miffed. "Let Wynnston go, you three. He had to give his mum a hug too!" With great difficulty, I disentangled myself from the three munchkins before walking the short distance between myself and my mum so I could envelop her in a hug. I noticed as she released me that I was now about two inches taller than her, something which had apparently developed in the past few months.

"Wynnston Brian Sudrach, you've grown! If this keeps up, I'll have to chop you off at the knees!"

"I missed you too, Mum," I said with a laugh before placing a quick peck on her cheek.

"What, no hugs for your old man?" My dad asked from his spot behind my mum, his hands placed on his hips as he glared at me playfully. "I'm hurt."

"'Course not, I didn't miss you at all," I replied with a laugh as I was enveloped in his familiar bear hug. A few of my peers looked at my family strangely, apparently not familiar with the feeling of a tight knit family, but we just ignored them. They had no idea what they were missing out on, so their judging looks didn't matter.

After eating the welcome home dinner my mum had prepared, I had excused myself for the night so I could head upstairs to my bedroom and develop the pictures I had taken since the start of the school year. It had taken much longer than I'd originally anticipated and by the time I headed back downstairs to grab a bite to eat, it was well after midnight.

I pulled open the magically fueled refrigerator (muggle ones tended to fritz out in our house with all of the witches and wizards running about), the soft interior glow shining on my face as I reached inside to pull out an apple.

"Wynn," a voice said behind me, causing me to jump as the apple tumbled from my hand. Spinning around, I saw my dad standing there, smiling sheepishly before bending down and grabbing to apple off the kitchen's wooden floors. "Sorry about that," he said with a chuckle as he quickly rinsed it off in the sink before tossing it over to me.

"S'alright," I said with a grin as I caught it, taking a quick bite. "I just wasn't expecting anyone else to be up this late, so you startled me."

"Well, I'm glad I caught you when your siblings were asleep. I wanted to have a talk with you. Let me just put a pot on the stove really fast."

I made my way into the living room while he bustled about the kitchen, appearing about 5 minutes later with two tea cups in his hand. He smiled as he handed one to me, which I accepted gratefully, before sinking down next to me on the worn brown couch.

"Now, Wynn, I know we don't talk too often, what with you being away at school and me shut up at the firm most of the time, but I wanted to have a talk with you, sort of man to man. You're almost an adult now and there are quite a few responsibilities that come with that. One of those responsibilities is looking out for the people you love, especially the one who you feel you might want to spend your life with." I shifted uncomfortably on the couch, unused to such serious conversations with my dad. Normally my mum was the one who sat me down for these these talks.

"Your mum has been talking about your friend Circe recently. She's very worried that things may change for her soon and that she'll need someone to support her. She and I both know that you have the capabilities to help your friend if she needs it, but I was a little concerned when I heard how much distance you're keeping between you two."

"Dad, can we not talk about this." I interrupted. "I know you and Mum care, but I really don't think I need more advice. I care about Circe, but right now she needs to figure things out on her own without me interfering."

"I'm not saying you need to interfere, Wynn. Yes, she does need to figure things out on her own, but she also needs to know there is someone there who is waiting for her when she finally decides to initiate a change in her life. Your mum says the Circe comes from a similar background and I know that your mother's faith that I would support her is something that helped her finally stand up to her wretched family. It takes a lot of courage to stand up to those who have controlled your life, but having someone there who you believe will stay by your side makes it much easier. You need to be that girl's safety net, Wynn. She's going to break and she'll be terrified if she doesn't have someone there to catch her."

I stared silently at the wall as my father stood up, placing his hand supportively on my shoulder before walking down the hallway to Mum's and his bedroom. My mind was reeling as I processed his words. They really were a kick in the pants, but I could also see now that they were something I needed to hear. Sighing, I stood up, walking slowly towards the stairs leading to my bedroom. My dad had definitely given me something to think about and I could already tell that I wouldn't be sleeping much tonight.

"WYNN!" I heard shouted loudly before I was squished beneath two energetic kids. I groaned in pain, trying to bring air back into my lungs as Cara and Coleman giggled from their perches on my chest and stomach.

"Come on, Wynn! It's already 10 o'clock and you're still in bed! You promised us you would take us to the park today!" Brigid called happily as she bounced up and down on the end of the bed.

"Alright, alright, you little bowtruckles! I'm getting up! Let me get ready quickly and then we can head out, alright?" They quickly agreed before high tailing it out of the attic and leaving me to dress.

After a quick shower, I pulled on my clothes, tucking Ryuu into one of my coat's heated pockets, charmed to keep him safe from the brisk December air. I slipped on a pair of waterproof boots, wrapped my house scarf around my neck and clomped heavily down the stairs. I heard my siblings scuttling excitedly about the living room, all three of them bounding happily over as soon as I appeared in their sight.

"Come on, Wynn! Let's go, let's go!" Cara hollered, grabbing my right hand while Coleman hung on to my left, both trying unsuccessfully to drag me towards the door.

"You two stop that right now," Mum ordered sternly as she stepped into the room, a steaming bagel held in her hand. "Go outside and wait for your brother." My two younger siblings dropped my hands obediently and scurried towards the door, Brigid following after them at a slower pace.

"Here's your breakfast, dear," my mum said as she handed the bagel to me. "Thank you for taking those rascals off my hands for a while. They've been running me ragged recently, full of pent up excitement at the thought of their big brother coming home for the holidays."

"You're the best, mum," I said, my signature lop sided grin creeping onto my face as I pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. "I'll keep an eye on em' for the next couple hours. Maybe I could take them to a park so they could run out some of their energy."

"That sounds like a wonderful plan," Mum replied with a chuckle, her warm eyes sparkling. "Now you'd better scoot or those three will run off through the town on their own, causing who knows how much damage!" She chuckled happily as she gently pushed me out the door, leaving me to wrangle three energetic kids all on my own.

 _This will be interesting._

I sank onto the park bench, feeling exhaustion seeping into my bones, just like the cold snow slowly melting down the back of my coat. Who knew a seven and nine year old could be so good at a snowball war.

I sighed tiredly, keeping an eye on Brigid, Cara, and Coleman as they scampered about the playground. How did kids have this much energy?

After about 30 minutes, Brigid seemed to get tired of dealing with our younger siblings, choosing to come sit with me instead. We sat silently, watching Cara and Coleman goof around on the monkey bars, playing who knows what.

"Wynn," Brigid said from beside me, catching my attention. I turned to look at her, concern flooding through me as I took on her dark expression. "Did you ever feel different?"

"What do you mean, Brig? What's wrong?" I asked, turning to face her fully, unsure what had turned my sweet little sister so sullen.

"Before you went to Hogwarts. Did you ever feel different? Like you didn't belong, you know?"

Furrowing my eyebrows, I thought back to when I used to attend a muggle school like Brigid, Cara, and Coleman did now. It had been per our dad's request that we attended, hoping to educate us about some parts of the muggle world before sending us off to wizard boarding school. Our parents thought it would make us well rounded and help us make friends, but in reality, it just made things difficult.

I used to have random magic flare ups all the time, causing the other children to be wary of me. Because they didn't trust me, they figured it would be alright to pick on me for being different. I had been miserable until I got to Hogwarts, finally getting a taste of what friendship was like.

"Do the muggles pick on you too?" I asked solemnly, looking directly into her soft, brown eyes, reading the confirmation in their depths. Sighing sadly, I got off the bench and crouched in front of her, holding eye contact before she ducked her head to hide her tears.

"Hey now, no crying, alright? It may hurt now, but as soon as you step on that Hogwarts train, their words mean nothing anymore. You're special, special enough to have magic. That's something that those bullies could only dream of. When you're older, you'll be off chasing dragons or flying around on a broom in a professional quidditch game while they're stuck at their dead end desk job, feeling miserable. Don't let them get you down, because you will leave their petty little world behind and discover a whole new world of people just like you who are actually worth your time. So hold your head up high, little sis, because you're gonna change the world."

Brigid flung her arms around me, clinging tightly to my neck as she sniffled softly into my shoulder. I don't think she'd ever heard me speak so harshly about anyone before, but to me, anyone who dared to hurt my little siblings was worthless and if I ever met them, I would make damn well sure they knew it. I wouldn't stand for anyone putting my little sister through the same mental torment I went through as a child, making me feel useless and alone. No one deserved to feel like that, but I had never had anyone there to tell me that since I was too ashamed to tell my parents how much everyone at my muggle school hated me. I think that was one reason I was so protective of Circe too. No one deserves to be treated the way her grandmother treats her, and I hope she realized it before it was too late.

"Come on, Brig, let's go home," I said softly, standing up with her still wrapped tightly around me. I gathered up Cara and Coleman, leading them quietly back to our house, where I was going to initiate a conversation with my parents about the negative aspects of wizards attending muggle school. Brigid was already hurt because I didn't speak up, and by Merlin, I wasn't going to stand by while Cara and Coleman suffered the same way we had. And as soon as I figured out how to best support my little siblings, I was going to figure out how to do the same for the girl I loved.


	18. Chapter 17: Circe

_**Update: Sorry about this guys. Somethings in this chapter didn't match up. It's the summer before their 6th year, not a few days before Christmas. It has also been brought to our attention that Victoire's name has been spelled wrong this whole time. We'll keep that in mind from now on, and fix everything eventually. Wynn's chapter will be posted soon.**_

 **Disclaimer: We do not, and never will own the rights to any familiar characters or original Harry Potter world ideas. They belong respectively to the original author, J.K. Rowling.**

 **23 June 2014**

 **Hogwarts Express/Kings Cross Station, London**

 **Platform 9 ¾**

The remainder of the school year was uneventful save for the general widespread panic over our O.W.L.s. I had made an O in all of my exams except for charms. The E was satisfactory, but I was going to get one hell of a punishment from my grandmother. It was hard, trying to accept the fact that I'd never be good enough for her, which was one of the many reasons Caesar admitted to leaving. The talk I had with him on Halloween cleared up a lot of stale air that had developed between us, but it still didn't clarify the question I needed the answer to. Why did she do it? What was our grandmother's goal in trying to turn us into monsters? I suppose she was the only person who could answer that.

Which is why I've been building up the courage to confront her.

I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to do it. The only person I had mentioned it to was Liera, who informed me that there were plenty of spare bedrooms I could stay in should things go south. When challenging my grandmother, it was almost a guarantee things would spiral downward. I wasn't sure I was ready for it, but one look at all of my uncanny friends' smiling faces, reminded me that I couldn't let things go back to the way they use to be. Within these four people I had found a home, and I wasn't willing to give that up.

A hand in front of my face pulled me out of my head.

"Hey, shortstack, welcome back to the land of the living," Teddy grinned, throwing himself back down on the seat across from me. I scowled at the familiar nickname, but didn't comment. It would only bait him further.

Liera peered over at me from my side, "You sure you're okay? You've been kinda spacey all day."

She was right, but I wasn't the only one stuck in my head. Wynn had been acting strange since he got back from Christmas break, stammering when I talked to him, finding excuses not to be left alone with me. When we were alone, he seemed to be struggling with something, almost ready to burst at the seams with whatever he was keeping bottled up inside. I'd confronted him on several occasions, but he conveniently always had somewhere to be. It wasn't until these past two days that he almost seemed to be completely withdrawing from me.

" _It's nothing. I'm fine._ "

Except it's not nothing, and he isn't fine. He was going to tell me before we left the train station, even if I had to drag it out of him.

The Hogwarts Express pulled into Kings Cross Station sometime later, the platform already bursting with activity. We all rushed off the train in search of our trunks and our animals, and Teddy, Victorie, and Liera all waved goodbye as they ran off to find their parents. I stayed behind as Wynn waited on his trunk to be thrown down, Ryuu already coiled comfortably across his shoulders.

Figuring that this was a better time than ever I blurted, "So, are you going to tell me what's on your mind, or are you just going to leave things the way they are between us before we head off to summer break?"

His shoulders tensed, and a muscle jumped in his jaw. The silence between us stretched on until I was sure he wouldn't answer. When he finally did, his voice was tight. "That's the thing. There isn't anything between us."

Fear wrapped my heart in its icy embrace, bringing it to a stuttering halt, "W-what?"

He groaned, passing a hand over his face, as if realizing the absurdity of his statement. "I didn't mean it like that. I-" he took a breath, and then another, preparing himself for something. When he looked me in the eyes, my heart resumed beating, except this time at a faster pace, as if trying to make up for the blood it stopped pumping moments ago. Those smiling eyes filled with determination, turning ice blue to steel as he stepped towards me.

"I'm in love with you."

This time when my heart stopped beating, my lungs forgot how to intake oxygen, which was responsible for sending that oxygen to my brain. Maybe that's why I was standing here staring at him like a fool. He...was in love with me?

"You, um, what?" I stuttered, completely thrown off. His confession was unexpected. How long had he felt this way? Why did he feel this way? I'd never given him any reason to love me. This was impossible!

"I'm in love with you, and I think I have been since the first time I heard you laugh."

I wanted to think on this. I wanted to know more, but before I could even ask a question, the familiar voice of my grandmother filled my ears.

"Circe! Who is this boy? Merlin forbid, he's wearing a Hufflepuff scarf. Don't tell me this is the half blood Lennox told me about? I thought I told you to stay away from his kind!"

She towered over me in her six inch pumps and pants suit, making me feel as small as I always did when I screwed up detrimentally at some important party or gala. I was in for it, and unless I denounced Wynn now, there was no imagining what kind of punishment she'd inflict upon me.

"Stupid, insolent girl! I raised you with more standards, and you betray me by consorting with street rats? You're no better than your good for nothing brother. Ungrateful bastards." She grabbed my arm, her perfectly manicured nails digging into my forearm roughly and whispered into my ear, "Just wait until we get home. I'll have you begging for mercy by the time I finish teaching you a lesson. If you insist befriending filth, I'll treat you like filth. Say goodbye to your disgusting toy, and if you ever talk to him again, I'll do far more than disown you. Do I make myself clear?"

I should stick up for him. This was my chance to fight back, but with every whispered syllable, she rekindled the flames of fear. She was my worst nightmare, and I wasn't strong enough to face her yet.

 _Forgive me Wynn. I'm a bloody coward._

When she let go of me and stared at me impatiently, I turned to him, fighting back tears and resisting the urge to rub my throbbing arm. "She's right. You're no good for me. I'm a pureblood, and you're a half blood. Nothing can ever become of us. I'm not even sure why I became friends with you."

That determination flickered out like a blown candle, and torment shattered across his eyes, "You don't mean that."

I took a deep breath in, and channelled that girl he met in Herbology third year. The girl I hid behind for so long. Indifference settled itself across my features, and it's cold metallic bite felt nothing like the homecoming I had expected. "I do mean it. I suppose you were only a charity case, but that's over now. I can't have your kind dirtying up my spotless reputation. I hope for your sake that we never directly cross paths again."

I didn't wait for him to respond. I just grabbed my grandmother's hand as she apparated out, and resisted every cell in my body that told me to look back.

 **1 August 2014**

 **Wiltshire, England**

 **Malfoy Manor**

The gala was in full swing at the Malfoy Manor, and while it was nothing short of beautiful, it was the last place I wanted to be. I was stuck at my grandmother's side for the first hour, smiling and charming my way around the room, giving compliments to everyone one their extravagant dresses and acting modest but contradicting it with subtle boasting when receiving them. _Induce envy_ , my grandmother told me before we arrived. _Demand admiration_. _Envy must never douce admiration, only fuel it._

With long cascading curls, and a dress fit for a queen, I'm sure I was a sight to behold. Yet every time I looked in the mirror, the sparkle of the wealth I represented made me sick. Thank Salazar for Liera, who pulled me away to the second floor. She was a sight to behold in a black ballgown with lace sleeves, black hair done up in an intricate braid. We sat on the floor with plates of food on our laps and heels discarded into some corner. This had become somewhat of a tradition at every gala or ball in the past three years after she guilt tripped the young Malfoy boy, Scorpios, into showing us this place. It was empty save for the plush red carpeting and forgotten grand piano. Liera often played it if we didn't have much to talk about, but she had different plans this year.

"Victoire tells me you and Wynn aren't speaking."

The statement made me tense. I had been trying not to think about him all summer, and yet he was all I could think about. "We aren't."

"Why?" She inquired, staring at me with sharp, blue eyes. "Is it because of your grandmother?"

Sometimes I forgot how observant Liera was, and I turned my eyes away from her searching ones. A useless effort, seeing as my body language already answered her question. "It doesn't matter."

"But it does matter. What happened?"

Such a broad question. Where did I start? His confession? My grandmother's sudden appearance? My bloody cowardice? "Everything went to hell, that's what happened. Wynn is in love with me. Did you know that? He's in love with me, and he told me right before my grandmother showed up. I'm not even sure what I was going to say to him, but it didn't matter. She started insulting him, and then she compared me to Caesar. She threatened me, told me I'd better break ties with him, so I did because I'm a coward." It felt good to tell her, but it didn't release the weight that had settled itself across my shoulders.

Liera, for all her quirky, bubbly characteristics, could easily be the most understanding person I knew. "I've known Wynn was in love with you. Honestly, it wasn't that hard to tell, but somehow you've been completely oblivious to how much he truly cares for you." I started to respond, but she wasn't finished. "I also think you've been oblivious to your own feelings as well."

That was a surprise. "My own feelings?"

"Yes," she huffed, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Maybe it's not love, but you can't deny that what you feel for him goes against everything you've been raised to believe."

"I-I don't, it isn't-" I stuttered before she cut me off.

"It isn't like that? I think it is. Put aside what happened at the train station, and tell me what goes through your head when you're around Wynn. Tell me exactly what your heart does when he's near."

I looked at her for a long time, sifting back through every moment I shared with Wynn. In the beginning it was all frustration and prejudice, but somewhere between third and fourth year he grew on me, became more than just the annoyingly determined halfblood Hufflepuff. He became a friend I could rely on, a secret keeper I could confide in, and a pair of arms I could feel safe in. "What I feel is so hard to explain. It isn't just one thing, it's a collection of things," I began slowly.

"When I'm around him, I suddenly feel lighter, as if his presence alone removes some invisible burden I carry. When he smiles at me, it chases away the darkness in my head, and sometimes I forget who I am, even if it's just for a moment. Sometimes he's makes me feel so frustrated, like when he and Teddy tease me about my height or when he doesn't tell me something that's on his mind. When we're alone and he get's lost inside his head, I find myself wanting to crawl inside his mind and see what he sees. When he's angry, his eyes cloud over, and everything in me screams to comfort him. Sometimes my heart is calm, but sometimes it beats wildly, like if it beat any harder it'd fall right out of my chest. I don't have butterflies or fuzzy feelings, but I do feel safe. That's something I've never felt with anyone."

Liera's smile was so wide, it almost stretched right off her face. "Are you hearing yourself?" she asked earnestly.

I was, and she was right. Maybe it wasn't love, but it was something. Maybe one day it could be love, but it wouldn't be that way if I didn't act. "How are you always the one to help me realize the truth?"

She laughed, "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't knock some sense into you from time to time?"

We made our way down the stairs shortly after, and I was immediately confronted by my grandmother. She questioned where I had gone, scolded me for abandoning her side, and all the while something angry was stirring beneath my chest. My whole life I was cowering behind a locked door that McGonagall and Caesar had helped me find the key to, but Liera was brave enough to force my hand upon the knob. As that door slowly crept open, my anger, resentment, and exhaustion towards my grandmother poured out into a single phrase.

"Shut up."

She jerked back slightly, as if I'd struck her. Her gray eyes widened, and her mouth fell open. I'd seen my my grandmother angry, bitter, conniving, and emotionless, but I'd never seen her startled. "What?"

Slowly, that face morphed into hard lined lips, sharp narrowed eyes, and clenched jaw. This was the face I had backed down from my entire life. This was the face that haunted my dreams. I would not back down from it anymore. "Shut up. I don't care."

A stream of fire whipped itself across my cheek as her hand hit me so hard I saw stars. The resounding crack of skin on skin contact echoed across the room, and all eyes turned to face us. Not wanting to risk anymore of her reputation, she grabbed my wrist in a crushing grip before apparating out as quickly as she could. She threw me to the floor the minute we appeared in the sitting room. "Do you have anything to say for yourself? Look what you've done! You're mouth will cost me!" The fire burning in her eyes only fueled the blaze within me. I picked myself up off the floor.

"Your reputation is of little consequence to me anymore. I'm sick of being your bargaining chip. I'm sick of being your trophy. You've screwed with my head and my life for far too long, and I won't stand for it anymore!"

"You'll do whatever I tell you to do, or I'll disinherit you the same way I did you're good for nothing brother!"

I laughed humorlessly, "You think money matters to me? You think I'm proud of the Rosier name? You and my parents defiled it when you killed people in that bastard's name. You defiled it when you poured darkness into my head!"

"You were born of darkness, my girl. Those dementors stole your soul before you even entered this world!" She taunted, but this time I knew they were lies.

"No man can live without a soul, grandmother. Only fools believe otherwise. I may have been born into darkness, but I have the choice to walk in the light. I won't follow you into your hatred and bigotry. I won't be your puppet anymore!"

Anger smeared across her features like black paint, and she grabbed my arm again. I cried out in pain as she dug her nails into my forearm. "You're head has been filled with lies from that filthy half blood and that disgusting school. I should have sent you to Beauxbatons when I had the chance. You won't defy me. I'll break you until every last thread of rebellion has been severed from your mind. I'll destroy you from the inside out, until all that's left is an empty shell."

She's strong, a lot stronger than me, and she drug me up the stairs kicking and screaming. I was facing my worst nightmare. When she threw me in the broom closet and locked the door, I feared I had lost.

She left me in here all night. I sobbed, beat against the door, screamed, swore. It was no use. I couldn't sleep away the time either. There was barely enough room to sit down, and my dress made it impossible to get comfortable. Regardless of the bruises marring my skin and the violent throbbing in my head, not even a night locked in this closet made me regret anything I'd said last night. I was determined, powerful, and free. The darkness in my head still lingered, but that could be dealt with later. With my biggest fear faced, all I needed to do now was get to Wynn.

Suddenly, as if Salazar himself heard my pleas, the door clicked open, and a pair of large eyes stared up at me warily. I almost didn't believe it, "Hispy?" Hispy the horrible house elf stood there with a key in her hand, and moved out of the way, gesturing for me to leave the closet. "Why?"

"The young mistress has been nothing but kind to me, even when Hispy was bad. Hispy can't stand by and watch young mistress suffer anymore."

After everything, I couldn't stop the tears that flooded my eyes, "Thank you."

If Hispy was unlocking the door, that meant my grandmother was away. This was my chance to get out, so I wasted no time in rushing to my room to pack. Once I had a charmed bag stuffed with all of the things I needed or couldn't leave behind, I picked up Eris, who purred happily at my arrival, and made my way down the stairs to the fireplace. Hispy was waiting for me, the floo powder that was usually locked away in her hand.

"Hispy will accept punishment happily knowing that young mistress is safe." She told me, handing over the pot. I couldn't let the house elf's act of kindness go unrewarded, and I needed one last metaphorical middle finger to my grandmother. The sock that dangled from my hand would do the trick. Hispy spluttered out in surprise, but I didn't let her thank me.

"Consider this my thank you for helping me get to safety. Your freedom is long overdo."

With that final parting I shouted my destination into the green flames.

 _ **Forewarning, Circe's hidden personality is only just appearing. Be prepared for mild or severe shocks. Also remember she's never been able to truly be herself. It might appear unrealistic until you think about the mind control her dear gran put her through.**_


End file.
